Unfortunately for some shareholders, the CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:CDTG) share price has dived 26% in the last thirty days, prolonging recent pain. For any long-term shareholders, the last month ends a year to forget by locking in a 92% share price decline.
After such a large drop in price, CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.2x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the Commercial Services industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 1.2x and even P/S above 4x are quite common. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
View our latest analysis for CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings
For instance, CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings' receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/S is low because investors think the company won't do enough to avoid underperforming the broader industry in the near future. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.
In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 22%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 20% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.
Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 5.5% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.
With this in mind, we understand why CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings' P/S is lower than most of its industry peers. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.
The southerly movements of CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings' shares means its P/S is now sitting at a pretty low level. 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.
Our examination of CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings confirms that the company's shrinking revenue over the past medium-term is a key factor in its low price-to-sales ratio, given the industry is projected to grow. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises either. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.
You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings you should be aware of.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on CDT Environmental Technology Investment Holdings, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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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.