Stock Analysis

Investors Appear Satisfied With WiseTech Global Limited's (ASX:WTC) Prospects As Shares Rocket 31%

ASX:WTC
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Despite an already strong run, WiseTech Global Limited (ASX:WTC) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 31% in the last thirty days. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 51%.

After such a large jump in price, you could be forgiven for thinking WiseTech Global is a stock to steer clear of with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 33.3x, considering almost half the companies in Australia's Software industry have P/S ratios below 2.4x. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for WiseTech Global

ps-multiple-vs-industry
ASX:WTC Price to Sales Ratio vs Industry March 1st 2024

How Has WiseTech Global Performed Recently?

With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, WiseTech Global has been doing relatively well. The P/S is probably high because investors think this strong revenue performance will continue. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Keen to find out how analysts think WiseTech Global's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For WiseTech Global?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as steep as WiseTech Global's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the industry decidedly.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 29% gain to the company's top line. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 103% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 26% per year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the industry only predicted to deliver 20% each year, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

With this information, we can see why WiseTech Global is trading at such a high P/S compared to the industry. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

The Bottom Line On WiseTech Global's P/S

Shares in WiseTech Global have seen a strong upwards swing lately, which has really helped boost its P/S figure. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

We've established that WiseTech Global maintains its high P/S on the strength of its forecasted revenue growth being higher than the the rest of the Software industry, as expected. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/S as they are quite confident future revenues aren't under threat. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. Our free balance sheet analysis for WiseTech Global with six simple checks will allow you to discover any risks that could be an issue.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

Valuation is complex, but we're helping make it simple.

Find out whether WiseTech Global is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

View the Free Analysis

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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.