When you see that almost half of the companies in the Pharmaceuticals industry in the United States have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 3x, MediWound Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDWD) looks to be giving off strong sell signals with its 8.8x P/S ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.
Check out our latest analysis for MediWound
What Does MediWound's Recent Performance Look Like?
MediWound hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining revenue compares poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth in their revenues on average. Perhaps the market is expecting the poor revenue to reverse, justifying it's current high P/S.. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
Keen to find out how analysts think MediWound's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.How Is MediWound's Revenue Growth Trending?
There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the industry for P/S ratios like MediWound's to be considered reasonable.
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 21%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 21% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the four analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 42% each year over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to only expand by 21% per annum, which is noticeably less attractive.
With this information, we can see why MediWound is trading at such a high P/S compared to the industry. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.
What Does MediWound's P/S Mean For Investors?
We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
Our look into MediWound shows that its P/S ratio remains high on the merit of its strong future revenues. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/S as they are quite confident future revenues aren't under threat. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.
Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we've spotted with MediWound.
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.
About NasdaqGM:MDWD
MediWound
A biopharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes novel, bio-therapeutic, and non-surgical solutions for tissue repair and regeneration in United States, Europe, and internationally.
Flawless balance sheet with limited growth.