The Market Doesn't Like What It Sees From Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc.'s (NYSE:BW) Revenues Yet

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc.'s (NYSE:BW) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.1x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the Electrical industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 1.9x and even P/S above 5x are quite common. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises

What Does Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises' Recent Performance Look Like?

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining revenue compares poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth in their revenues on average. It seems that many are expecting the poor revenue performance to persist, which has repressed the P/S ratio. If you still 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.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 13%. This has soured the latest three-year period, which nevertheless managed to deliver a decent 29% overall rise in revenue. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would be roughly satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to slump, contracting by 5.6% during the coming year according to the three analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the broader industry is forecast to expand by 15%, which paints a poor picture.

With this information, we are not surprised that Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as the weak outlook is weighing down the shares.

The Key Takeaway

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.

It's clear to see that Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises maintains its low P/S on the weakness of its forecast for sliding revenue, as expected. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable) 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.