There Is A Reason Titan Mining Corporation's (TSE:TI) Price Is Undemanding

Titan Mining Corporation's (TSE:TI) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.6x might make it look like a strong buy right now compared to the Metals and Mining industry in Canada, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 2.9x and even P/S above 20x are quite common. However, the P/S might be quite low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for Titan Mining

What Does Titan Mining's Recent Performance Look Like?

For example, consider that Titan Mining's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. It might be that many expect the disappointing revenue performance to continue or accelerate, which has repressed the P/S. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction 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 Titan Mining's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

Titan Mining's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling revenue, and importantly, perform much worse than the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 11%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 3.2% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 20% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we are not surprised that Titan Mining is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. However, we think shrinking revenues are unlikely to lead to a stable P/S over the longer term, which could set up shareholders for future disappointment. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.

What We Can Learn From Titan Mining's P/S?

While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

Our examination of Titan Mining confirms that the company's shrinking revenue over the past medium-term is a key factor in its low price-to-sales ratio, given the industry is projected to grow. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in revenue isn't great enough to justify a higher P/S ratio. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 3 warning signs for Titan Mining (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.