indie Semiconductor, Inc. (NASDAQ:INDI) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 45% after a shaky period beforehand. The bad news is that even after the stocks recovery in the last 30 days, shareholders are still underwater by about 2.8% over the last year.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about indie Semiconductor's P/S ratio of 4.3x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Semiconductor industry in the United States is also close to 4.2x. 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.

How indie Semiconductor Has Been Performing

Recent times haven't been great for indie Semiconductor as its revenue has been rising slower than most other companies. It might be that many expect the uninspiring revenue performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/S ratio from falling. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

indie Semiconductor's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 23%. 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.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the seven analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 25% over the next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 40%, which is noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it's curious that indie Semiconductor's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. 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

indie Semiconductor's stock has a lot of momentum behind it lately, which has brought its P/S level with the rest of the industry. 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.

Given that indie Semiconductor's revenue growth projections are relatively subdued in comparison to the wider industry, it comes as a surprise to see it trading at its current P/S ratio. When we see companies with a relatively weaker revenue outlook compared to the industry, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/S lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

You need to take note of risks, for example - indie Semiconductor has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.