Stock Analysis

Investors Interested In Deliveroo plc's (LON:ROO) Revenues

LSE:ROO
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There wouldn't be many who think Deliveroo plc's (LON:ROO) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.1x is worth a mention when the median P/S for the Hospitality industry in the United Kingdom is similar at about 1x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

View our latest analysis for Deliveroo

ps-multiple-vs-industry
LSE:ROO Price to Sales Ratio vs Industry July 10th 2023

How Deliveroo Has Been Performing

With revenue growth that's inferior to most other companies of late, Deliveroo has been relatively sluggish. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to lift, which has kept the P/S from declining. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

How Is Deliveroo's Revenue Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Deliveroo's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 14%. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 156% overall rise in revenue, aided somewhat by its short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 9.5% per annum over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 10% per year, which is not materially different.

With this in mind, it makes sense that Deliveroo's P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Apparently shareholders are comfortable to simply hold on while the company is keeping a low profile.

The Final Word

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.

A Deliveroo's P/S seems about right to us given the knowledge that analysts are forecasting a revenue outlook that is similar to the Hospitality industry. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement or deterioration in revenue isn't great enough to push P/S in a higher or lower direction. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to support the share price at these levels.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Deliveroo 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).

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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.