Why Investors Shouldn't Be Surprised By FORIS AG's (ETR:FRS) Low P/S

You may think that with a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.5x FORIS AG (ETR:FRS) is a stock worth checking out, seeing as almost half of all the Diversified Financial companies in Germany have P/S ratios greater than 2.3x and even P/S higher than 5x aren't out of the ordinary. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Check out our latest analysis for FORIS

How Has FORIS Performed Recently?

It looks like revenue growth has deserted FORIS recently, which is not something to boast about. Perhaps the market believes the recent lacklustre revenue performance is a sign of future underperformance relative to industry peers, hurting the P/S. If not, then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for FORIS, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as FORIS' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered virtually the same number to the company's top line as the year before. Still, the latest three year period was better as it's delivered a decent 11% overall rise in revenue. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 27% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker, based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

With this in consideration, it's easy to understand why FORIS' P/S falls short of the mark set by its industry peers. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the wider industry.

The Key Takeaway

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.

In line with expectations, FORIS maintains its low P/S on the weakness of its recent three-year growth being lower than the wider industry forecast. 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.

You need to take note of risks, for example - FORIS has 2 warning signs (and 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) we think you should know about.

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.