DXC Technology Company's (NYSE:DXC) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the IT industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 2.1x and even P/S above 5x are quite common. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
View our latest analysis for DXC Technology
What Does DXC Technology's Recent Performance Look Like?
DXC Technology could be doing better as its revenue has been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive revenue growth. The P/S ratio is probably low because investors think this poor revenue performance isn't going to get any better. So while you could say the stock is cheap, investors will be looking for improvement before they see it as good value.
Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on DXC Technology will help you uncover what's on the horizon.How Is DXC Technology's Revenue Growth Trending?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as DXC Technology's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.
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 5.0%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 23% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the twelve analysts covering the company suggest revenue growth is heading into negative territory, declining 4.8% over the next year. Meanwhile, the broader industry is forecast to expand by 9.0%, which paints a poor picture.
In light of this, it's understandable that DXC Technology's P/S would sit below the majority of other companies. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.
What Does DXC Technology's P/S Mean For Investors?
Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.
It's clear to see that DXC Technology maintains its low P/S on the weakness of its forecast for sliding revenue, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in revenue isn't great enough to justify a higher P/S ratio. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.
Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with DXC Technology (including 1 which is significant).
If you're unsure about the strength of DXC Technology's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.
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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 NYSE:DXC
DXC Technology
Provides information technology services and solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Australia, and internationally.
Undervalued with moderate growth potential.