Sitio Royalties Corp.'s (NYSE:STR) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 2.9x may not look like an appealing investment opportunity when you consider close to half the companies in the Oil and Gas industry in the United States have P/S ratios below 1.9x. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's as high as it is.

What Does Sitio Royalties' Recent Performance Look Like?

Recent times have been pleasing for Sitio Royalties as its revenue has risen in spite of the industry's average revenue going into reverse. It seems that many are expecting the company to continue defying the broader industry adversity, which has increased investors' willingness to pay up for the stock. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should outperform the industry for P/S ratios like Sitio Royalties' to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 25%. The latest three year period has also seen an incredible overall rise in revenue, aided by its incredible short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a tremendous job of growing revenue over that time.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the two analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 5.8% over the next year. With the industry predicted to deliver 6.4% growth , the company is positioned for a comparable revenue result.

In light of this, it's curious that Sitio Royalties' P/S sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly average growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Although, additional gains will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the share price eventually.

The Final Word

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.

Analysts are forecasting Sitio Royalties' revenues to only grow on par with the rest of the industry, which has lead to the high P/S ratio being unexpected. Right now we are uncomfortable with the relatively high share price as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. A positive change is needed in order to justify the current price-to-sales ratio.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Sitio Royalties has 1 warning sign we think 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.