Positive Sentiment Still Eludes Bambuser AB (publ) (STO:BUSER) Following 30% Share Price Slump

Bambuser AB (publ) (STO:BUSER) shares have retraced a considerable 30% in the last month, reversing a fair amount of their solid recent performance. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 33% share price drop.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Bambuser's P/S ratio of 1.6x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Interactive Media and Services industry in Sweden is also close to 1.4x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

See our latest analysis for Bambuser

How Bambuser Has Been Performing

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at Bambuser over the last year, which is not ideal at all. Perhaps investors believe the recent revenue performance is enough to keep in line with the industry, which is keeping the P/S from dropping off. If you like the company, you'd at least be hoping this is the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Bambuser will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

How Is Bambuser's Revenue Growth Trending?

Bambuser's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 17%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 168% overall rise in revenue, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the revenue growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 29% over the next year, materially lower than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

In light of this, it's curious that Bambuser's P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It may be that most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.

What Does Bambuser's P/S Mean For Investors?

Following Bambuser's share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. 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.

We've established that Bambuser currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its recent three-year growth is higher than the wider industry forecast. When we see strong revenue with faster-than-industry growth, we can only assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/S ratio. While recent revenue trends over the past medium-term suggest that the risk of a price decline is low, investors appear to see the likelihood of revenue fluctuations in the future.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Bambuser you should be aware of, and 2 of them are potentially serious.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com