Resolute Mining Limited (ASX:RSG) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 30% after a shaky period beforehand. Taking a wider view, although not as strong as the last month, the full year gain of 23% is also fairly reasonable.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, Resolute Mining may still be sending very bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.8x, since almost half of all companies in the Metals and Mining industry in Australia have P/S ratios greater than 31.2x and even P/S higher than 357x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for Resolute Mining

What Does Resolute Mining's Recent Performance Look Like?

Resolute Mining could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. The P/S ratio is probably low because investors think this lacklustre revenue performance isn't going to get any better. If you still like the company, you'd be hoping revenue doesn't get any worse and that you could pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Resolute Mining will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Resolute Mining would need to produce anemic growth that's substantially trailing the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 27%. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 46% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the four analysts covering the company suggest revenue growth is heading into negative territory, declining 2.5% per annum over the next three years. Meanwhile, the broader industry is forecast to expand by 124% each year, which paints a poor picture.

In light of this, it's understandable that Resolute Mining's P/S would sit below the majority of other companies. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.

The Bottom Line On Resolute Mining's P/S

Resolute Mining's recent share price jump still sees fails to bring its P/S alongside the industry median. We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

It's clear to see that Resolute Mining maintains its low P/S on the weakness of its forecast for sliding revenue, as expected. As other companies in the industry are forecasting revenue growth, Resolute Mining's poor outlook justifies its low P/S ratio. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Resolute Mining with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

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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