Those holding Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002168) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 25% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 38% in the last twelve months.

Following the firm bounce in price, you could be forgiven for thinking Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology is a stock to steer clear of with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 8.1x, considering almost half the companies in China's Electrical industry have P/S ratios below 2.5x. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

What Does Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. Perhaps the market is expecting this decent revenue performance to beat out the industry over the near term, which has kept the P/S propped up. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the industry for P/S ratios like Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology's to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 18%. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year revenue frustratingly shrank by 24% overall. 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 26% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

With this information, we find it concerning that Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology is trading at a P/S higher than the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Bottom Line On Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology's P/S

Shares in Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology have seen a strong upwards swing lately, which has really helped boost its P/S figure. It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our examination of Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology revealed its shrinking revenue over the medium-term isn't resulting in a P/S as low as we expected, given the industry is set to grow. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

Having said that, be aware Chongqing Hifuture Information Technology is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.