Despite an already strong run, MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 27% in the last thirty days. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 24% in the last twelve months.

Following the firm bounce in price, MARA Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 9.7x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to other companies in the Software industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios below 5.5x and even P/S below 2x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/S.

How MARA Holdings Has Been Performing

With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, MARA Holdings has been doing relatively well. It seems the market expects this form will continue into the future, hence the elevated P/S ratio. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

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

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For MARA Holdings?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, MARA Holdings would need to produce outstanding growth that's well in excess of the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 41% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 250% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 37% as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 16% growth forecast for the broader industry.

In light of this, it's understandable that MARA Holdings' P/S sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

The Bottom Line On MARA Holdings' P/S

Shares in MARA Holdings have seen a strong upwards swing lately, which has really helped boost its P/S figure. It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our look into MARA Holdings shows that its P/S ratio remains high on the merit of its strong future revenues. It appears that shareholders are confident in the company's future revenues, which is propping up the P/S. Unless the analysts have really missed the mark, these strong revenue forecasts should keep the share price buoyant.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on MARA Holdings, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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.