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Whispir Limited's (ASX:WSP) Revenues Are Not Doing Enough For Some Investors
With a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.7x Whispir Limited (ASX:WSP) may be sending very bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all the Software companies in Australia have P/S ratios greater than 2.8x and even P/S higher than 7x are not unusual. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so limited.
Check out our latest analysis for Whispir
What Does Whispir's P/S Mean For Shareholders?
While the industry has experienced revenue growth lately, Whispir's revenue has gone into reverse gear, which is not great. The P/S ratio is probably low because investors think this poor revenue performance isn't going to get any better. If you still like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.
Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Whispir will help you uncover what's on the horizon.
Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as depressed as Whispir's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry decidedly.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 24% decrease to the company's top line. Even so, admirably revenue has lifted 37% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing revenue over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.
Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 11% per annum during the coming three years according to the only analyst following the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 20% each year growth forecast for the broader industry.
With this information, we can see why Whispir is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.
The Bottom Line On Whispir's P/S
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.
As we suspected, our examination of Whispir's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior revenue outlook is contributing to its low P/S. Shareholders' pessimism on the revenue prospects for the company seems to be the main contributor to the depressed P/S. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.
There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 4 warning signs for Whispir (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).
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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.
