Stock Analysis

Some Confidence Is Lacking In Inno Instrument Inc.'s (KOSDAQ:215790) P/S

KOSDAQ:A215790
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With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 1x in the Communications industry in Korea, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Inno Instrument Inc.'s (KOSDAQ:215790) P/S ratio of 0.7x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

View our latest analysis for Inno Instrument

ps-multiple-vs-industry
KOSDAQ:A215790 Price to Sales Ratio vs Industry March 4th 2024

What Does Inno Instrument's Recent Performance Look Like?

Inno Instrument has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this respectable revenue growth might not be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders probably aren't too pessimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Inno Instrument?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Inno Instrument would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 9.4% last year. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 32% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 25% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Inno Instrument's P/S is comparable to that of its industry peers. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

What Does Inno Instrument's P/S Mean For Investors?

Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

We've established that Inno Instrument's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. When we see weak revenue with slower than industry growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, bringing the P/S back in line with expectations. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's hard to accept the current share price as fair value.

Having said that, be aware Inno Instrument is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis, you should know about.

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.