Yahoo Finance A Piece Of The Puzzle Missing From The Agency Group Australia Limited's (ASX:AU1) 35% Share Price Climb
The The Agency Group Australia Limited (ASX:AU1) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 35%. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 10% in the last twelve months.
In spite of the firm bounce in price, Agency Group Australia may still look like a strong buying opportunity at present with its price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.2x, considering almost half of all companies in the Real Estate industry in Australia have P/S ratios greater than 3.4x and even P/S higher than 8x aren't out of the ordinary. 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.
See our latest analysis for Agency Group Australia
What Does Agency Group Australia's P/S Mean For Shareholders?
Agency Group Australia has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. Perhaps the market is expecting this acceptable revenue performance to take a dive, which has kept the P/S suppressed. If you 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.
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 Agency Group Australia's earnings, revenue and cash flow.
What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?
Agency Group Australia's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling revenue, and importantly, perform much worse than the industry.
If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 16%. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 84% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.
Comparing that recent medium-term revenue trajectory with the industry's one-year growth forecast of 11% shows it's noticeably more attractive.
With this information, we find it odd that Agency Group Australia is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. It looks like most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.
The Bottom Line On Agency Group Australia's P/S
Even after such a strong price move, Agency Group Australia's P/S still trails the rest of the industry. 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.
We're very surprised to see Agency Group Australia currently trading on a much lower than expected P/S since its recent three-year growth is higher than the wider industry forecast. When we see robust revenue growth that outpaces the industry, we presume that there are notable underlying risks to the company's future performance, which is exerting downward pressure on the P/S ratio. At least price risks look to be very low if recent medium-term revenue trends continue, but investors seem to think future revenue could see a lot of volatility.
Having said that, be aware Agency Group Australia is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.
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).
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.
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