When close to half the companies in the IT industry in Australia have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 2.1x, you may consider NEXTDC Limited (ASX:NXT) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 24.4x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for NEXTDC

What Does NEXTDC's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

NEXTDC's revenue growth of late has been pretty similar to most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to improve, justifying the currently elevated P/S. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on NEXTDC.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For NEXTDC?

NEXTDC's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 12% gain to the company's revenues. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 64% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing revenues over that time.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 16% each year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 20% per year, which is noticeably more attractive.

With this in consideration, we believe it doesn't make sense that NEXTDC's P/S is outpacing its industry peers. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

What Does NEXTDC's P/S Mean For Investors?

It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

It comes as a surprise to see NEXTDC trade at such a high P/S given the revenue forecasts look less than stellar. When we see a weak revenue outlook, we suspect the share price faces a much greater risk of declining, bringing back down the P/S figures. This places shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we've spotted with NEXTDC.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on NEXTDC, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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.