It's not a stretch to say that Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:LIND) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.9x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Hospitality industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 1.4x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

What Does Lindblad Expeditions Holdings' P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Lindblad Expeditions Holdings could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to lift, which has kept the P/S from declining. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Lindblad Expeditions Holdings' is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 35% gain to the company's top line. This great performance means it was also able to deliver immense revenue growth over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 7.0% per year during the coming three years according to the four analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 11% each year, which is noticeably more attractive.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Lindblad Expeditions Holdings' P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

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.

When you consider that Lindblad Expeditions Holdings' revenue growth estimates are fairly muted compared to the broader industry, it's easy to see why we consider it unexpected to be trading at its current P/S ratio. At present, we aren't confident in the P/S as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. A positive change is needed in order to justify the current price-to-sales ratio.

Having said that, be aware Lindblad Expeditions Holdings is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis, you should know about.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, 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.