There's Reason For Concern Over Westlake Corporation's (NYSE:WLK) Price

It's not a stretch to say that Westlake Corporation's (NYSE:WLK) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.7x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Chemicals industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 1.6x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

View our latest analysis for Westlake

How Westlake Has Been Performing

With revenue that's retreating more than the industry's average of late, Westlake has been very sluggish. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to begin matching the rest of the industry, which has kept the P/S from declining. So while you could say the stock is cheap, investors will be looking for improvement before they see it as good value. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Westlake?

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

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 19%. Even so, admirably revenue has lifted 53% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing revenue over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 3.8% as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 7.4% growth forecast for the broader industry.

In light of this, it's curious that Westlake's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Bottom Line On Westlake's 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 look at the analysts forecasts of Westlake's revenue prospects has shown that its inferior revenue outlook isn't negatively impacting its P/S as much as we would have predicted. When we see companies with a relatively weaker revenue outlook compared to the industry, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/S lower. A positive change is needed in order to justify the current price-to-sales ratio.

It is also worth noting that we have found 3 warning signs for Westlake that you need to take into consideration.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.