Investors Give Studio City International Holdings Limited (NYSE:MSC) Shares A 29% Hiding

Studio City International Holdings Limited (NYSE:MSC) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 29% share price drop in the last month. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 32% in that time.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Studio City International Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.4x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Hospitality industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 1.6x. 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.

View our latest analysis for Studio City International Holdings

What Does Studio City International Holdings' P/S Mean For Shareholders?

With revenue growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Studio City International Holdings has been doing very well. The P/S is probably moderate because investors think this strong revenue growth might not be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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 Studio City International Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 103% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an incredible overall rise in revenue, aided by its incredible short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

When compared to the industry's one-year growth forecast of 13%, the most recent medium-term revenue trajectory is noticeably more alluring

In light of this, it's curious that Studio City International Holdings' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It may be that most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.

What Does Studio City International Holdings' P/S Mean For Investors?

With its share price dropping off a cliff, the P/S for Studio City International Holdings looks to be in line with the rest of the Hospitality industry. 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.

To our surprise, Studio City International Holdings revealed its three-year revenue trends aren't contributing to its P/S as much as we would have predicted, given they look better than current industry expectations. It'd be fair to assume that potential risks the company faces could be the contributing factor to the lower than expected P/S. While recent revenue trends over the past medium-term suggest that the risk of a price decline is low, investors appear to see the likelihood of revenue fluctuations in the future.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Studio City International Holdings you should know about.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.