The NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 28%. The bad news is that even after the stocks recovery in the last 30 days, shareholders are still underwater by about 3.1% over the last year.

Although its price has surged higher, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about NIO's P/S ratio of 1x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Auto industry in the United States is also close to 1.2x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

What Does NIO's Recent Performance Look Like?

With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, NIO has been doing relatively well. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is moderate because investors think this strong revenue performance might be about to tail off. If the company manages to stay the course, then investors should be rewarded with a share price that matches its revenue figures.

Keen to find out how analysts think NIO's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For NIO?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 24% gain to the company's top line. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 78% in total 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 26% each year as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 16% each year growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that NIO's P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Apparently some shareholders are skeptical of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

What We Can Learn From NIO's P/S?

Its shares have lifted substantially and now NIO's P/S is back within range of the industry median. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

We've established that NIO currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its forecasted revenue growth is higher than the wider industry. 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. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future revenue could see some volatility.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - NIO has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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.