Stock Analysis

Nanobiotix S.A.'s (EPA:NANO) 27% Dip Still Leaving Some Shareholders Feeling Restless Over Its P/SRatio

ENXTPA:NANO
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The Nanobiotix S.A. (EPA:NANO) share price has fared very poorly over the last month, falling by a substantial 27%. Longer-term shareholders would now have taken a real hit with the stock declining 4.1% in the last year.

Although its price has dipped substantially, it's still not a stretch to say that Nanobiotix's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 5.8x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Biotechs industry in France, where the median P/S ratio is around 6.6x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

See our latest analysis for Nanobiotix

ps-multiple-vs-industry
ENXTPA:NANO Price to Sales Ratio vs Industry June 29th 2024

How Has Nanobiotix Performed Recently?

Nanobiotix certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue more than most other companies. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to wane, which has kept the P/S ratio from rising. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Nanobiotix will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like Nanobiotix's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an explosive gain to the company's top line. The latest three year period has also seen an incredible overall rise in revenue, aided by its incredible short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a tremendous job of growing revenue over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 17% per year as estimated by the five analysts watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 62% growth each year, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

In light of this, it's curious that Nanobiotix's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Bottom Line On Nanobiotix's P/S

Following Nanobiotix's share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. 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 at the analysts forecasts of Nanobiotix's revenue prospects has shown that its inferior revenue outlook isn't negatively impacting its P/S as much as we would have predicted. When we see companies with a relatively weaker revenue outlook compared to the industry, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/S lower. Circumstances like this present a risk to current and prospective investors who may see share prices fall if the low revenue growth impacts the sentiment.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 4 warning signs for Nanobiotix (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that we have uncovered.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

Valuation is complex, but we're here to simplify it.

Discover if Nanobiotix might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.

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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.