Price-to-Sales Ratio

What is P/S Ratio?

P/S Ratio values company based on revenue instead of earnings. Useful for unprofitable companies or comparing across industries.

Think of it like this

Two food trucks each sell $100K yearly. Truck A costs $50K (P/S = 0.5), Truck B costs $200K (P/S = 2). Truck A is cheaper relative to sales!

Formula

P/S = Market Cap / Annual Revenue
  • Market Cap: Total company value
  • Annual Revenue: Total yearly sales

Why it matters

  • Values unprofitable companies
  • Can't be manipulated like earnings
  • Compare companies across industries
  • Shows what investors pay per dollar of sales

What's a good value?

< 1
Cheap
Undervalued or troubled
1-2
Fair
Reasonable valuation
2-4
Premium
Growth expectations
> 4
Expensive
High growth or overvalued

Real-world example

Walmart P/S: 0.7 - low margin business. Zoom P/S: 8 - high growth SaaS. Car manufacturer: 0.3 - capital intensive. Profitless startup P/S: 20 - pure speculation.

Things to watch out for

  • Ignores profitability
  • High revenue doesn't mean profits
  • Varies dramatically by industry
  • Debt not considered

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