A valuation ratio that compares a company’s stock price to its revenues. The price-to-sales ratio is an indicator of the value placed on each dollar of a company’s sales or revenues. It can be calculated either by dividing the company’s market capitalization by its total sales over a 12-month period, or on a per-share basis by dividing the stock price by sales per share for a 12-month period. Like all ratios, the price-to-sales ratio is most relevant when used to compare companies in the same sector. A low ratio may indicate possible undervaluation, while a ratio that is significantly above the average may suggest overvaluation. Abbreviated as the P/S ratio or PSR, this ratio is also known as a “sales multiple” or “revenue multiple.”
The 12-month period used for sales in the price-to-sales ratio is generally the past four quarters (also called trailing 12 months or ttm), or the most recent or current fiscal year. A price-to-sales ratio that is based on forecast sales for the current year is called a forward ratio.