Valens Semiconductor Ltd. (NYSE:VLN) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 31% gain and recovering from prior weakness. The bad news is that even after the stocks recovery in the last 30 days, shareholders are still underwater by about 3.0% over the last year.

Although its price has surged higher, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Valens Semiconductor's P/S ratio of 3.9x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Semiconductor industry in the United States is also close to 4.2x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

How Valens Semiconductor Has Been Performing

Valens Semiconductor could be doing better as its revenue has been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive revenue growth. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is moderate because investors think this poor revenue performance will turn around. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

Valens 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.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 26%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 1.5% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the three analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 10.0% over the next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 40%, which is noticeably more attractive.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Valens Semiconductor's 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

Its shares have lifted substantially and now Valens Semiconductor's P/S is back within range of the industry median. 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.

Given that Valens 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. 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.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Valens Semiconductor you should be aware of.

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.