Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group Limited (HKG:1341) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 46% share price drop in the last month. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 44% share price drop.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, you could still be forgiven for thinking Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group is a stock to steer clear of with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 19.8x, considering almost half the companies in Hong Kong's Trade Distributors industry have P/S ratios below 0.4x. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

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View our latest analysis for Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group

How Has Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group Performed Recently?

For instance, Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/S is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as steep as Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the industry decidedly.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 17%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 19% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 3.8% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

In light of this, it's alarming that Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group'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 Does Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group's P/S Mean For Investors?

A significant share price dive has done very little to deflate Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group's very lofty P/S. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

We've established that Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group currently trades on a much higher than expected P/S since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term. When we see revenue heading backwards and underperforming the industry forecasts, we feel the possibility of the share price declining is very real, bringing the P/S back into the realm of reasonability. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Hao Tian International Construction Investment Group has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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