It's not a stretch to say that Antero Resources Corporation's (NYSE:AR) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 2x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Oil and Gas industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 1.9x. 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.

What Does Antero Resources' Recent Performance Look Like?

Antero Resources has been struggling lately as its revenue has declined faster than most other companies. It might be that many expect the dismal revenue performance to revert back to industry averages soon, which has kept the P/S from falling. If you still like the company, you'd want its revenue trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping it doesn't keep underperforming if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's not in favour.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Antero Resources?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Antero Resources would need to produce growth that's similar to 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 49%. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow revenue by an impressive 32% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would definitely welcome the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 6.0% each year as estimated by the eight analysts watching the company. With the industry only predicted to deliver 3.6% each year, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

In light of this, it's curious that Antero Resources' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are skeptical of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

The Final Word

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.

Looking at Antero Resources' analyst forecasts revealed that its superior revenue outlook isn't giving the boost to its P/S that we would've expected. When we see a strong revenue outlook, with growth outpacing the industry, we can only assume potential uncertainty around these figures are what might be placing slight pressure on the P/S ratio. It appears some are indeed anticipating revenue instability, because these conditions should normally provide a boost to the share price.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Antero Resources.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.