Session 12: Equity Investments: Valuation Models Reading 42: Market-Based Valuation: Price and Enterprise Value Multiples 
 LOS d: Discuss the drawbacks to the use of each price multiple and dividend yield. 
  
  
  
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using price-to-sales (P/S) multiples in stock valuations? 
 
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 A)  | 
The use of P/S multiples can miss problems associated with cost control. |    |  
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 B)  | 
It is difficult to capture the effects of changes in pricing policies using P/S ratios. |    |  
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 C)  | 
P/S multiples are more volatile than price-to-earnings (P/E) multiples. |    |    
 
   
Due to the stability of using sales relative to earnings in the P/S multiple, an analyst may miss problems of troubled firms concerning its cost control. P/S multiples are actually less volatile than P/E ratios, which is an advantage in using the P/S multiple. Also, P/S ratios provide a useful framework for evaluating effects of pricing changes on firm value.   |