There wouldn't be many who think Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.'s (NYSE:NCLH) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.8x is worth a mention when the median P/S for the Hospitality industry in the United States is similar at about 1.2x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

How Has Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Performed Recently?

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings 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 you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

How Is Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' Revenue Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 45%. 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.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 8.5% per year as estimated by the analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 12% per annum, which is noticeably more attractive.

With this information, we find it interesting that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings 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. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

What Does Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' P/S Mean For Investors?

Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

Given that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' 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. A positive change is needed in order to justify the current price-to-sales ratio.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings that we have uncovered.

If you're unsure about the strength of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com