Financial Modeling: Projecting sales growth

I'm working on a model for a client who showed a sales growth rate of 15% Y-o-Y since last 3 years. From the 5 comparable companies, the mean of the sales growth is 8.5%. Now, to complete the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015, what rate do I choose for the remaining two quarters?

(1) Should I still take 8.5% for the remnant two quarters and complete the fiscal year end?

(2) Should I take it at 15% and then decrease it for the outer years (2016 through 2021)?

Is there a better way to do it? Help appreciated. Thanks

5 Comments
 
Best Response

Its important to look into the historical drivers for growth of your target and make implications moving forward. For example, if the historical year over year growth was driven by the launch of a new product or capital expenditures, incorporating the same % growth into your forward projections may be aggressive.

On the other hand, 15% year over year could be low if you believe the product takes time to hit the market and is a catalyst for growth for years to come. Numbers mean very little... it comes down to your rationale behind the assumptions. If the company faces little seasonality and historicals reflect as such keeping it in line at 15% wouldn't be wrong. For the outer years however, I would take the conservative approach and keep it in line with the industry average at 8% (A year over year decline as opposed to a direct jump from 15% to 8%).

 

Another question.

What's the best approach to projecting a stub, especially during Q4 - the last quarter? Let's say the company's fiscal year ends on Sept 30, 2015. We're in July, 2015 (this means we're already in Q4). So, how do I project the sales for the current stub? I mean at what rate? All companies give their best shot to increase their sales to the maximum during Q4.

To give you more insight. The company launched a product in the market last quarter that boosted the sales by 30% as compared to last year's same quarter. According to the Management projection, they will achieve 50% Q4 growth (as compared to last year's same quarter). In this scenario, do you think, as a banker, I should go ahead with management projection? I'm preparing the projection from the investor stand-point.

Additionally, if it's a public company, different people have different perspective (keeping in mind the economic scenario and competition). Equity research reports, Analyst views, accredited investors stand-point are different. What should be the logical approach to convey the optimal projection? How far the sensitivity analysis help?

Explanation would help a lot.

 

Labore accusantium quia nobis exercitationem nostrum eos asperiores vitae. Qui expedita repellendus adipisci sed numquam eaque nisi. Excepturi occaecati aspernatur architecto tempora facere blanditiis molestiae. Et repudiandae repellendus voluptatem maxime nobis sunt dolores. Consequuntur et voluptate similique nostrum voluptates vero.

Magnam repellat dolorum id quisquam eum. Quaerat ut id praesentium et qui quia rerum. Dolores et rem quibusdam incidunt et. Libero aut sint molestiae maiores.

Molestias modi et facilis sed. Non praesentium aut corrupti quia maiores voluptate. Est aut dolores recusandae similique modi omnis enim consequatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (66) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”