Subdued Growth No Barrier To Imerys S.A.'s (EPA:NK) Price

With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 0.9x in the Basic Materials industry in France, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Imerys S.A.'s (EPA:NK) P/S ratio of 0.8x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

Check out our latest analysis for Imerys

How Has Imerys Performed Recently?

With revenue that's retreating more than the industry's average of late, Imerys has been very sluggish. 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. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Imerys' is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 13%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 2.7% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 3.3% per year during the coming three years according to the five analysts following the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 5.5% growth per year, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

In light of this, it's curious that Imerys' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Key Takeaway

It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our look at the analysts forecasts of Imerys' revenue prospects has shown that its inferior revenue outlook isn't negatively impacting its P/S as much as we would have predicted. At present, we aren't confident in the P/S as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. A positive change is needed in order to justify the current price-to-sales ratio.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Imerys has 3 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

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.