Kinaxis Inc.'s (TSE:KXS) Shares May Have Run Too Fast Too Soon

When you see that almost half of the companies in the Software industry in Canada have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 3.2x, Kinaxis Inc. (TSE:KXS) looks to be giving off strong sell signals with its 7.3x P/S ratio. 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 Kinaxis

How Has Kinaxis Performed Recently?

Kinaxis could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to undergo a reversal of fortunes, which has elevated the P/S ratio. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Keen to find out how analysts think Kinaxis' 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 Kinaxis?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the industry for P/S ratios like Kinaxis' to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 20% gain to the company's top line. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 94% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 17% per year during the coming three years according to the eleven analysts following the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 18% growth each year, the company is positioned for a comparable revenue result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Kinaxis is trading at a high P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Although, additional gains will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the share price eventually.

What Does Kinaxis' P/S Mean For Investors?

Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Given Kinaxis' future revenue forecasts are in line with the wider industry, the fact that it trades at an elevated P/S is somewhat surprising. Right now we are uncomfortable with the relatively high share price as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless the company can jump ahead of the rest of the industry in the short-term, it'll be a challenge to maintain the share price at current levels.

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

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.