TianYu Eco-Environment Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603717) shareholders won't be pleased to see that the share price has had a very rough month, dropping 32% and undoing the prior period's positive performance. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 41% in that time.

Even after such a large drop in price, there still wouldn't be many who think TianYu Eco-Environment's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.8x is worth a mention when the median P/S in China's Commercial Services industry is similar at about 2.2x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

How TianYu Eco-Environment Has Been Performing

The recent revenue growth at TianYu Eco-Environment would have to be considered satisfactory if not spectacular. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this good revenue growth might only be parallel to the broader industry in the near future. Those who are bullish on TianYu Eco-Environment will be hoping that this isn't the case, so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like TianYu Eco-Environment's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 6.4%. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 35% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Comparing the recent medium-term revenue trends against the industry's one-year growth forecast of 30% shows it's noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's curious that TianYu Eco-Environment's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

With its share price dropping off a cliff, the P/S for TianYu Eco-Environment looks to be in line with the rest of the Commercial Services industry. 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.

We've established that TianYu Eco-Environment's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. When we see weak revenue with slower than industry growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, bringing the P/S back in line with expectations. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's hard to accept the current share price as fair value.

Having said that, be aware TianYu Eco-Environment is showing 2 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.