Some Confidence Is Lacking In Norse Atlantic ASA's (OB:NORSE) P/S

There wouldn't be many who think Norse Atlantic ASA's (OB:NORSE) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.1x is worth a mention when the median P/S for the Airlines industry in Norway is similar at about 0.3x. 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.

See our latest analysis for Norse Atlantic

How Has Norse Atlantic Performed Recently?

Norse Atlantic certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing its revenue at a really rapid pace. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to taper off, which has kept the P/S from rising. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Norse Atlantic's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Is Norse Atlantic's Revenue Growth Trending?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 43% last year. However, the latest three year period hasn't been as great in aggregate as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 5.7% 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 Norse Atlantic's P/S is comparable to that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Key Takeaway

While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

We've established that Norse Atlantic's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/S as this revenue performance isn't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, the probability of a share price decline will become quite substantial, placing shareholders at risk.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Norse Atlantic (1 is a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Norse Atlantic's 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.