Those holding Shanghai CDXJ Digital Technology Co.,LTD. (SHSE:603887) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 47% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Unfortunately, the gains of the last month did little to right the losses of the last year with the stock still down 23% over that time.

Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.3x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Construction industry in China, where the median P/S ratio is around 1.2x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

What Does Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

For example, consider that Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to put the disappointing revenue performance behind them over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from falling. If you like the company, you'd at least be hoping this is the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

How Is Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's Revenue Growth Trending?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 19% decrease to the company's top line. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 33% in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 20% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

In light of this, it's somewhat alarming that Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh on the share price eventually.

The Key Takeaway

Its shares have lifted substantially and now Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD's P/S is back within range of the industry median. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We find it unexpected that Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD trades at a P/S ratio that is comparable to the rest of the industry, despite experiencing declining revenues during the medium-term, while the industry as a whole is expected to grow. Even though it matches the industry, we're uncomfortable with the current P/S ratio, as this dismal revenue performance is unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 5 warning signs for Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD (2 are concerning!) that we have uncovered.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Shanghai CDXJ Digital TechnologyLTD, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.