Mercer International Inc. (NASDAQ:MERC) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 25% in the last month, although it is still struggling to make up recently lost ground. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 12% in the last twelve months.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Mercer International's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.2x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Forestry industry in the United States, seeing as it matches the P/S ratio of the wider industry. 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 Has Mercer International Performed Recently?

While the industry has experienced revenue growth lately, Mercer International's revenue has gone into reverse gear, which is not great. It might be that many expect the dour revenue performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/S from falling. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Mercer International?

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

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 8.0%. That put a dampener on the good run it was having over the longer-term as its three-year revenue growth is still a noteworthy 29% in total. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a good job of growing revenue over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 6.1% during the coming year according to the three analysts following the company. With the industry only predicted to deliver 1.4%, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Mercer International is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It may be that most investors aren't convinced the company can achieve future growth expectations.

What Does Mercer International's P/S Mean For Investors?

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

We've established that Mercer International currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its forecasted revenue growth is higher than the wider industry. Perhaps uncertainty in the revenue forecasts are what's keeping the P/S ratio consistent with the rest of the industry. This uncertainty seems to be reflected in the share price which, while stable, could be higher given the revenue forecasts.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Mercer International that we have uncovered.

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.