What HashiCorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:HCP) P/S Is Not Telling You

HashiCorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:HCP) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 7.6x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the Software industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios below 4.5x and even P/S below 1.8x are quite common. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

View our latest analysis for HashiCorp

How HashiCorp Has Been Performing

With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, HashiCorp has been doing relatively well. The P/S is probably high because investors think this strong revenue performance will continue. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

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

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

In order to justify its P/S ratio, HashiCorp would need to produce outstanding growth that's well in excess of the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 29% last year. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 166% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 13% as estimated by the analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 15%, which is not materially different.

With this information, we find it interesting that HashiCorp is trading at a high P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Although, additional gains will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the share price eventually.

What Does HashiCorp's P/S Mean For Investors?

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.

Seeing as its revenues are forecast to grow in line with the wider industry, it would appear that HashiCorp currently trades on a higher than expected P/S. The fact that the revenue figures aren't setting the world alight has us doubtful that the company's elevated P/S can be sustainable for the long term. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for HashiCorp 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.