17 Education & Technology Group Inc. (NASDAQ:YQ) Surges 25% Yet Its Low P/S Is No Reason For Excitement

17 Education & Technology Group Inc. (NASDAQ:YQ) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 25% after a shaky period beforehand. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 14% in the last twelve months.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, considering around half the companies operating in the United States' Consumer Services industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") above 1.6x, you may still consider 17 Education & Technology Group as an solid investment opportunity with its 0.6x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

See our latest analysis for 17 Education & Technology Group

How 17 Education & Technology Group Has Been Performing

The revenue growth achieved at 17 Education & Technology Group over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. One possibility is that the P/S is low because investors think this respectable revenue growth might actually underperform the broader industry in the near future. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as 17 Education & Technology Group's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 23% last year. However, this wasn't enough as the latest three year period has seen the company endure a nasty 91% drop in revenue in aggregate. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 13% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this in mind, we understand why 17 Education & Technology Group's P/S is lower than most of its industry peers. However, we think shrinking revenues are unlikely to lead to a stable P/S over the longer term, which could set up shareholders for future disappointment. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as recent revenue trends are already weighing down the shares.

The Key Takeaway

Despite 17 Education & Technology Group's share price climbing recently, its P/S still lags most other companies. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

It's no surprise that 17 Education & Technology Group maintains its low P/S off the back of its sliding revenue over the medium-term. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises either. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 1 warning sign for 17 Education & Technology Group that you should be aware of.

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.