When you see that almost half of the companies in the Gas Utilities industry in India have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.3x, Adani Total Gas Limited (NSE:ATGL) looks to be giving off strong sell signals with its 11.4x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
Check out our latest analysis for Adani Total Gas
Adani Total Gas has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is high because investors think this respectable revenue growth will be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
Although there are no analyst estimates available for Adani Total Gas, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the industry for P/S ratios like Adani Total Gas' to be considered reasonable.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 17% gain to the company's top line. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 35% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.
Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to shrink 4.9% in the next 12 months, the company's positive momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a bright spot for the moment.
With this in mind, it's clear to us why Adani Total Gas' P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. Investors are willing to pay more for a stock they hope will buck the trend of the broader industry going backwards. Nonetheless, with most other businesses facing an uphill battle, staying on its current revenue path is no certainty.
Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.
As we suspected, our examination of Adani Total Gas revealed its growing revenue over the medium-term is helping prop up its high P/S compared to its peers, given the industry is set to shrink. It could be said that investors feel this revenue growth will continue into the future, justifying a higher P/S ratio. We still remain cautious about the company's ability to stay its recent course and swim against the current of the broader industry turmoil. If things remain consistent though, shareholders shouldn't expect any major share price shocks in the near term.
Many other vital risk factors can be found on the company's balance sheet. Our free balance sheet analysis for Adani Total Gas with six simple checks will allow you to discover any risks that could be an issue.
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.