Investors Aren't Buying Quad/Graphics, Inc.'s (NYSE:QUAD) Revenues

You may think that with a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.1x Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE:QUAD) is a stock worth checking out, seeing as almost half of all the Commercial Services companies in the United States have P/S ratios greater than 1.4x and even P/S higher than 4x aren't out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

View our latest analysis for Quad/Graphics

How Has Quad/Graphics Performed Recently?

While the industry has experienced revenue growth lately, Quad/Graphics' revenue has gone into reverse gear, which is not great. The P/S ratio is probably low because investors think this poor revenue performance isn't going to get any better. So while you could say the stock is cheap, investors will be looking for improvement before they see it as good value.

Keen to find out how analysts think Quad/Graphics' future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For Quad/Graphics?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as Quad/Graphics' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 12%. Unfortunately, that's brought it right back to where it started three years ago with revenue growth being virtually non-existent overall during that time. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the two analysts covering the company suggest revenue growth is heading into negative territory, declining 3.4% over the next year. Meanwhile, the broader industry is forecast to expand by 9.5%, which paints a poor picture.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that Quad/Graphics' P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as the weak outlook is weighing down the shares.

What We Can Learn From Quad/Graphics' P/S?

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.

With revenue forecasts that are inferior to the rest of the industry, it's no surprise that Quad/Graphics' P/S is on the lower end of the spectrum. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless there's material change, it's hard to envision a situation where the stock price will rise drastically.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider before investing and we've discovered 1 warning sign for Quad/Graphics 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com