Interfor Corporation's (TSE:IFP) Price Is Out Of Tune With Revenues

With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 0.3x in the Forestry industry in Canada, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Interfor Corporation's (TSE:IFP) P/S ratio, which comes in at about the same. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

View our latest analysis for Interfor

What Does Interfor's Recent Performance Look Like?

Interfor has been struggling lately as its revenue has declined faster than most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to begin matching the rest of the industry, which has kept the P/S from declining. So while you could say the stock is cheap, investors will be looking for improvement before they see it as good value. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping it doesn't keep underperforming if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's not in favour.

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Interfor.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Interfor would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 19%. This has soured the latest three-year period, which nevertheless managed to deliver a decent 29% overall rise in revenue. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would be roughly satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the six analysts covering the company suggest revenue growth is heading into negative territory, declining 1.8% over the next year. Meanwhile, the broader industry is forecast to expand by 4.3%, which paints a poor picture.

In light of this, it's somewhat alarming that Interfor's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects, but the analyst cohort is not so confident this will happen. There's a good chance these shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the negative growth outlook.

The Final Word

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.

It appears that Interfor currently trades on a higher than expected P/S for a company whose revenues are forecast to decline. With this in mind, we don't feel the current P/S is justified as declining revenues are unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. If the declining revenues were to materialize in the form of a declining share price, shareholders will be feeling the pinch.

It is also worth noting that we have found 1 warning sign for Interfor that you need to take into consideration.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Interfor, 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com