Stock Analysis
Investors Interested In Seeing Machines Limited's (LON:SEE) Revenues
When close to half the companies in the Electronic industry in the United Kingdom have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.4x, you may consider Seeing Machines Limited (LON:SEE) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 3.1x P/S ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's as high as it is.
See our latest analysis for Seeing Machines
How Seeing Machines Has Been Performing
With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Seeing Machines has been doing relatively well. It seems that many are expecting the strong revenue performance to persist, which has raised the P/S. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.
Keen to find out how analysts think Seeing Machines' 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 Seeing Machines?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as high as Seeing Machines' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the industry.
If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 17%. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 91% overall rise in revenue, aided by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.
Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 23% per year during the coming three years according to the dual analysts following the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 6.2% each year growth forecast for the broader industry.
With this information, we can see why Seeing Machines is trading at such a high P/S compared to the industry. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.
What Does Seeing Machines' P/S Mean For Investors?
We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
As we suspected, our examination of Seeing Machines' analyst forecasts revealed that its superior revenue outlook is contributing to its high P/S. It appears that shareholders are confident in the company's future revenues, which is propping up the P/S. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.
The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. Our free balance sheet analysis for Seeing Machines with six simple checks will allow you to discover any risks that could be an issue.
If you're unsure about the strength of Seeing Machines' business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.
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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.
About AIM:SEE
Seeing Machines
Provides driver and occupant monitoring system technologies in Australia, North America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, and internationally.