What happened
Shares of 51job Inc. (JOBS) declined on Monday despite no meaningful news. The last development for the Chinese provider of integrated human resource services was a mixed quarterly report on Aug. 2. The stock was down about 9.9% at 3:15 p.m. EDT.
So what
51job stock peaked in early July at around $115 per share. This peak came after a year-and-a-half-long rally that pushed up the stock by more than 200%. The stock now trades for around $65, down about 43% from that 52-week high.
A mixed second-quarter report is responsible for some of that decline. The company reported revenue of $135.3 million, up 33% year over year in local currency, and non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share of $0.82, up 63%. But while earnings came in ahead of analyst expectations, revenue missed by about $3.4 million, and guidance fell short of expectations as well.
The ongoing slump affecting Chinese stocks has likely driven some of 51job's decline: The S&P 500 China ETF has lost about 12% of its value since July 1. A lofty valuation may have also played a role; the company was valued at around $6.5 billion at its peak, about 14.7 times 2017 sales and 44.5 times 2017 non-GAAP net income.
Image source: Getty Images.
Now what
While there's no specific news to connect to 51jobs' decline on Monday, the drop does extend a slump that has been ongoing for the past few months. Almost all the year-to-date gains for the stock have now been wiped out.
A solid third-quarter report later this year could turn the tide, but investors will need to wait until November for another update.
