It's not a stretch to say that CS Disco, Inc.'s (NYSE:LAW) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 3.4x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Software industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 4.2x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.
Check out our latest analysis for CS Disco
How Has CS Disco Performed Recently?
With revenue growth that's inferior to most other companies of late, CS Disco has been relatively sluggish. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to lift, which has kept the P/S from declining. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a relatively elevated price for a company with this sort of growth profile.
Keen to find out how analysts think CS Disco's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.How Is CS Disco's Revenue Growth Trending?
CS Disco's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.
Taking a look back first, we see that there was hardly any revenue growth to speak of for the company over the past year. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 102% overall rise in revenue, in spite of its uninspiring short-term performance. So while the company has done a solid job in the past, it's somewhat concerning to see revenue growth decline as much as it has.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 13% per annum as estimated by the six analysts watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 15% growth per year, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.
With this information, we find it interesting that CS Disco is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. 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.
What Does CS Disco's P/S Mean For Investors?
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.
When you consider that CS Disco's revenue growth estimates are fairly muted compared to the broader industry, it's easy to see why we consider it unexpected to be trading at its current P/S ratio. 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. Circumstances like this present a risk to current and prospective investors who may see share prices fall if the low revenue growth impacts the sentiment.
You always need to take note of risks, for example - CS Disco has 3 warning signs we think 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).
New: AI Stock Screener & Alerts
Our new AI Stock Screener scans the market every day to uncover opportunities.
• Dividend Powerhouses (3%+ Yield)
• Undervalued Small Caps with Insider Buying
• High growth Tech and AI Companies
Or build your own from over 50 metrics.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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:LAW
CS Disco
Provides cloud-native and artificial intelligence-powered legal solutions for legal hold, legal request, ediscovery, legal document review, and case management in the United States and internationally.
Flawless balance sheet very low.