Starbreeze AB (publ)'s (STO:STAR B) Popularity With Investors Under Threat As Stock Sinks 26%

Starbreeze AB (publ) (STO:STAR B) shareholders won't be pleased to see that the share price has had a very rough month, dropping 26% and undoing the prior period's positive performance. For any long-term shareholders, the last month ends a year to forget by locking in a 76% share price decline.

Although its price has dipped substantially, it's still not a stretch to say that Starbreeze's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.6x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Entertainment industry in Sweden, seeing as it matches the P/S ratio of the wider industry. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

Check out our latest analysis for Starbreeze

How Starbreeze Has Been Performing

With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Starbreeze has been doing relatively well. Perhaps the market is expecting this level of performance to taper off, keeping the P/S from soaring. If the company manages to stay the course, then investors should be rewarded with a share price that matches its revenue figures.

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

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company's revenues underwent some rampant growth over the last 12 months. The amazing performance means it was also able to deliver huge revenue growth over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a tremendous job of growing revenue over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should bring diminished returns, with revenue decreasing 11% per year as estimated by the dual analysts watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 7.7% growth per annum, that's a disappointing outcome.

With this in consideration, we think it doesn't make sense that Starbreeze's P/S is closely matching its industry peers. It seems most investors are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects, but the analyst cohort is not so confident this will happen. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as these declining revenues are likely to weigh on the share price eventually.

What Does Starbreeze's P/S Mean For Investors?

Following Starbreeze's share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Our check of Starbreeze's analyst forecasts revealed that its outlook for shrinking revenue isn't bringing down its P/S as much as we would have predicted. When we see a gloomy outlook like this, our immediate thoughts are that the share price is at risk of declining, negatively impacting P/S. If we consider the revenue outlook, the P/S seems to indicate that potential investors may be paying a premium for the stock.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Starbreeze (1 is potentially serious!) that we have uncovered.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Starbreeze, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.