Investors Interested In Sea Limited's (NYSE:SE) Revenues

Sea Limited's (NYSE:SE) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 2.4x may not look like an appealing investment opportunity when you consider close to half the companies in the Entertainment industry in the United States have P/S ratios below 1.2x. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's as high as it is.

Check out our latest analysis for Sea

How Has Sea Performed Recently?

With revenue growth that's inferior to most other companies of late, Sea has been relatively sluggish. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to undergo a reversal of fortunes, which has elevated the P/S ratio. If not, then existing shareholders may be very nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Sea?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Sea would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 4.9% last year. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 199% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 13% each year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to only expand by 9.8% per year, which is noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's understandable that Sea's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Final Word

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.

We've established that Sea maintains its high P/S on the strength of its forecasted revenue growth being higher than the the rest of the Entertainment industry, as expected. It appears that shareholders are confident in the company's future revenues, which is propping up the P/S. Unless the analysts have really missed the mark, these strong revenue forecasts should keep the share price buoyant.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Sea that you should be aware of.

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.