Nayuki Holdings Limited (HKG:2150) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 84% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 30% in the last twelve months.

Although its price has surged higher, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Nayuki Holdings' P/S ratio of 0.7x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Hospitality industry in Hong Kong is about the same. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

View our latest analysis for Nayuki Holdings

How Has Nayuki Holdings Performed Recently?

Nayuki Holdings could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is moderate because investors think this lacklustre revenue performance will turn around. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a relatively elevated price for a company with this sort of growth profile.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Nayuki Holdings will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

How Is Nayuki Holdings' Revenue Growth Trending?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 5.7% gain to the company's revenues. Revenue has also lifted 28% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 6.2% as estimated by the seven analysts watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 15% growth, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Nayuki Holdings is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

What We Can Learn From Nayuki Holdings' P/S?

Nayuki Holdings appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

When you consider that Nayuki Holdings' revenue growth estimates are fairly muted compared to the broader industry, it's easy to see why we consider it unexpected to be trading at its current P/S ratio. When we see companies with a relatively weaker revenue outlook compared to the industry, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/S lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Nayuki Holdings, and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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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