Strauss Group Ltd.'s (TLV:STRS) P/S Is On The Mark

When close to half the companies in the Food industry in Israel have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 0.4x, you may consider Strauss Group Ltd. (TLV:STRS) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 1.1x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for Strauss Group

How Strauss Group Has Been Performing

Recent times have been advantageous for Strauss Group as its revenues have been rising faster than most other companies. 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.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Strauss Group will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Strauss Group would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 11%. The solid recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 16% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been respectable for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 19% each year as estimated by the lone analyst watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to only expand by 7.7% each year, which is noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's understandable that Strauss Group's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

What We Can Learn From Strauss Group's P/S?

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.

We've established that Strauss Group maintains its high P/S on the strength of its forecasted revenue growth being higher than the the rest of the Food industry, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in revenues is quite remote, justifying the elevated P/S ratio. Unless the analysts have really missed the mark, these strong revenue forecasts should keep the share price buoyant.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Strauss Group (at least 1 which is significant), and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.