You may think that with a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.6x Siemens Energy AG (ETR:ENR) is a stock worth checking out, seeing as almost half of all the Electrical companies in Germany have P/S ratios greater than 1.7x and even P/S higher than 6x aren't out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for Siemens Energy

How Siemens Energy Has Been Performing

Siemens Energy certainly has been doing a good job lately as its revenue growth has been positive while most other companies have been seeing their revenue go backwards. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to degrade substantially, possibly more than the industry, which has repressed the P/S. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Siemens Energy will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should underperform the industry for P/S ratios like Siemens Energy's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 13% last year. Revenue has also lifted 12% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 5.2% each year over the next three years. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 9.2% per annum growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this in consideration, its clear as to why Siemens Energy's P/S is falling short industry peers. It seems most investors are expecting to see limited future growth and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

What We Can Learn From Siemens Energy's P/S?

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.

As expected, our analysis of Siemens Energy's analyst forecasts confirms that the company's underwhelming revenue outlook is a major contributor 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. The company will need a change of fortune to justify the P/S rising higher in the future.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Siemens Energy 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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