Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent Equipment Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:603095) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 29% after a shaky period beforehand. But the gains over the last month weren't enough to make shareholders whole, as the share price is still down 4.2% in the last twelve months.

Since its price has surged higher, you could be forgiven for thinking Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd is a stock not worth researching with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 4.1x, considering almost half the companies in China's Machinery industry have P/S ratios below 2.8x. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/S.

How Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd Has Been Performing

For example, consider that Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd?

Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 50% decrease to the company's top line. Regardless, revenue has managed to lift by a handy 18% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the earlier period of growth. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the revenue growth recently has been mostly respectable for the company.

Comparing the recent medium-term revenue trends against the industry's one-year growth forecast of 27% shows it's noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's alarming that Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. 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.

What We Can Learn From Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd's P/S?

Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd shares have taken a big step in a northerly direction, but its P/S is elevated as a result. 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.

The fact that Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd currently trades on a higher P/S relative to the industry is an oddity, since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. 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. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these the share price as being reasonable.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd you should be aware of, and 1 of them is potentially serious.

If you're unsure about the strength of Zhejiang Yuejian Intelligent EquipmentLtd's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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