With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 0.3x in the Logistics industry in Hong Kong, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Frontier Services Group Limited's (HKG:500) P/S ratio of 0.5x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.
Check out our latest analysis for Frontier Services Group
How Has Frontier Services Group Performed Recently?
For example, consider that Frontier Services Group's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. Perhaps investors believe the recent revenue performance is enough to keep in line with the industry, which is keeping the P/S from dropping off. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.
Although there are no analyst estimates available for Frontier Services Group, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.How Is Frontier Services Group's Revenue Growth Trending?
The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Frontier Services Group's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 14% decrease to the company's top line. Regardless, revenue has managed to lift by a handy 18% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the earlier period of growth. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the revenue growth recently has been mostly respectable for the company.
This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 11% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.
With this information, we find it interesting that Frontier Services Group is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.
The Final Word
We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
We've established that Frontier Services Group's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. When we see weak revenue with slower than industry growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, bringing the P/S back in line with expectations. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, the probability of a share price decline will become quite substantial, placing shareholders at risk.
Plus, you should also learn about these 4 warning signs we've spotted with Frontier Services Group.
If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).
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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.