Price to Sales Ratio (P/S Ratio)

The Price to Sales Ratio (P/S) implies the value placed on each dollar of a company’s sales or revenues.

Formula

Market Price per Share / Sales per Share

What does it Tell You?

The P/S ratio compares a company's stock price to its revenues. It is particularly useful for valuing companies that are not yet profitable (have no earnings), as they will still have sales.

Interpretation

High P/S Ratio

A high P/S ratio indicates the stock is expensive relative to the revenue it generates. Buying stocks with extremely high P/S ratios can be risky unless the company has exceptionally high growth potential or profit margins.

Low P/S Ratio

A low P/S ratio suggests the stock is undervalued. Investors typically prefer lower P/S ratios, as it means they are paying less for every dollar of sales the company generates.

How to Use It

Tip: Look for companies with P/S ratios lower than their industry average. Since profit margins vary by industry, it is crucial to compare P/S ratios only with peers in the same sector.

Limitations

Warning: A company with high sales but low profit margins might look attractive by P/S but be a poor investment. The P/S ratio does not account for a company's expenses or debt. Always use it in conjunction with other ratios (like profitability ratios) to get a complete picture.