Optimistic Investors Push Koss Corporation (NASDAQ:KOSS) Shares Up 32% But Growth Is Lacking
Koss Corporation (NASDAQ:KOSS) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 32% after a shaky period beforehand. Unfortunately, the gains of the last month did little to right the losses of the last year with the stock still down 29% over that time.
Since its price has surged higher, when almost half of the companies in the United States' Consumer Durables industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 0.7x, you may consider Koss as a stock probably not worth researching with its 2.6x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/S.
Check out our latest analysis for Koss
How Has Koss Performed Recently?
For example, consider that Koss' financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.
We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Koss' earnings, revenue and cash flow.
What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/S?
Koss' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than 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 22%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 28% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.
Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 0.9% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.
With this information, we find it concerning that Koss is trading at a P/S higher than the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.
The Bottom Line On Koss' P/S
Koss' P/S is on the rise since its shares have risen strongly. It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.
We've established that Koss currently trades on a much higher than expected P/S since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.
Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Koss that we have uncovered.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Koss, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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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.
