SKC Co., Ltd.'s (KRX:011790) Share Price Matching Investor Opinion

When you see that almost half of the companies in the Chemicals industry in Korea have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 0.7x, SKC Co., Ltd. (KRX:011790) looks to be giving off some sell signals with its 2.1x 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.

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See our latest analysis for SKC

What Does SKC's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

SKC certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue more than most other companies. It seems the market expects this form will continue into the future, hence the elevated P/S ratio. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

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

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

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 26%. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year revenue frustratingly shrank by 35% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenues over that time.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the eleven analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 31% over the next year. With the industry only predicted to deliver 12%, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

With this in mind, it's not hard to understand why SKC's P/S is high relative to its industry peers. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Final Word

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 SKC's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior revenue outlook is contributing to its high P/S. 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.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 1 warning sign for SKC that you should be aware of.

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.