The China Silver Technology Holdings Limited (HKG:515) share price has fared very poorly over the last month, falling by a substantial 34%. Longer-term, the stock has been solid despite a difficult 30 days, gaining 12% in the last year.

Even after such a large drop in price, it's still not a stretch to say that China Silver Technology Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.5x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Electronic industry in Hong Kong, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.4x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for China Silver Technology Holdings

What Does China Silver Technology Holdings' Recent Performance Look Like?

For instance, China Silver Technology Holdings' receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the company to put the disappointing revenue performance behind them over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability 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 China Silver Technology Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 2.5% decrease to the company's top line. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 53% in aggregate. 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 24% 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 somewhat alarming that China Silver Technology Holdings' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. 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 the recent negative growth rates.

The Bottom Line On China Silver Technology Holdings' P/S

With its share price dropping off a cliff, the P/S for China Silver Technology Holdings looks to be in line with the rest of the Electronic industry. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We find it unexpected that China Silver Technology Holdings trades at a P/S ratio that is comparable to the rest of the industry, despite experiencing declining revenues during the medium-term, while the industry as a whole is expected to grow. When we see revenue heading backwards in the context of growing industry forecasts, it'd make sense to expect a possible share price decline on the horizon, sending the moderate P/S lower. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 4 warning signs for China Silver Technology Holdings you should be aware of, and 3 of them 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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