When close to half the companies in the Chemicals industry in China have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 2.1x, you may consider Shenzhen WOTE Advanced Materials Co.,Ltd (SZSE:002886) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 2.7x 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 as high as it is.

What Does Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd's Recent Performance Look Like?

Revenue has risen at a steady rate over the last year for Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd, which is generally not a bad outcome. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is high because investors think this good revenue growth will be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 4.6% last year. The solid recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 21% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has actually done a good job of growing revenue over that time.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 23% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker, based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. 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.

The Bottom Line On Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd's P/S

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.

The fact that Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd 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. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance isn't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless there is a significant improvement in the company's medium-term performance, it will be difficult to prevent the P/S ratio from declining to a more reasonable level.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Shenzhen WOTE Advanced MaterialsLtd (1 is a bit concerning) you should be aware of.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.