Beijing Hanjian Heshan Pipeline Co.,Ltd (SHSE:603616) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 31% in the last month, although it is still struggling to make up recently lost ground. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 28% in the last twelve months.

After such a large jump in price, when almost half of the companies in China's Building industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.8x, you may consider Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd as a stock probably not worth researching with its 2.8x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/S.

How Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd Has Been Performing

For example, consider that Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. 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. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

How Is Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd's Revenue Growth Trending?

Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 42%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 24% in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 25% shows it's an unpleasant look.

In light of this, it's alarming that Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd'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 Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd's P/S?

Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd's P/S is on the rise since its shares have risen strongly. 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.

Our examination of Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd revealed its shrinking revenue over the medium-term isn't resulting in a P/S as low as we expected, given the industry is set to grow. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. Should recent medium-term revenue trends persist, it would pose a significant risk to existing shareholders' investments and prospective investors will have a hard time accepting the current value of the stock.

Having said that, be aware Beijing Hanjian Heshan PipelineLtd is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those shouldn't be ignored.

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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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.