Research Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSSS) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 28% after a shaky period beforehand. Looking back a bit further, it's encouraging to see the stock is up 54% in the last year.

Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Research Solutions' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 2.1x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the IT industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 1.7x. 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.

See our latest analysis for Research Solutions

What Does Research Solutions' Recent Performance Look Like?

Research Solutions certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue more than most other companies. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to wane, which has kept the P/S ratio from rising. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Research Solutions would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 15% last year. As a result, it also grew revenue by 25% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been respectable for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 8.3% as estimated by the two analysts watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 10% growth, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Research Solutions is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Final Word

Research Solutions appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in 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.

When you consider that Research Solutions' 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. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Research Solutions that 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.