Anhui Hyea Aromas Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300886) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 26% share price drop in the last month. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 31% in that time.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, when almost half of the companies in China's Chemicals industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 2x, you may still consider Anhui Hyea Aromas as a stock not worth researching with its 5.1x P/S ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

Check out our latest analysis for Anhui Hyea Aromas

How Has Anhui Hyea Aromas Performed Recently?

Revenue has risen at a steady rate over the last year for Anhui Hyea Aromas, which is generally not a bad outcome. Perhaps the market believes the recent revenue performance is strong enough to outperform the industry, which has inflated the P/S ratio. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

Anhui Hyea Aromas' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 4.8% last year. Revenue has also lifted 23% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been respectable for the company.

Comparing the recent medium-term revenue trends against the industry's one-year growth forecast of 26% shows it's noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's alarming that Anhui Hyea Aromas' P/S sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

What Does Anhui Hyea Aromas' P/S Mean For Investors?

Even after such a strong price drop, Anhui Hyea Aromas' P/S still exceeds the industry median significantly. Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Our examination of Anhui Hyea Aromas revealed its poor three-year revenue trends aren't detracting from the P/S as much as we though, given they look worse than current industry expectations. When we see slower than industry revenue growth but an elevated P/S, there's considerable risk of the share price declining, sending the P/S lower. 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.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider before investing and we've discovered 1 warning sign for Anhui Hyea Aromas that you should be aware of.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.