Slammed 44% Dada Nexus Limited (NASDAQ:DADA) Screens Well Here But There Might Be A Catch

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Dada Nexus Limited (NASDAQ:DADA) shares are down a considerable 44% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. The recent drop completes a disastrous twelve months for shareholders, who are sitting on a 86% loss during that time.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Dada Nexus' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Consumer Retailing industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.4x. 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 Dada Nexus

How Has Dada Nexus Performed Recently?

Dada Nexus certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue more than most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting this level of performance to taper off, keeping the P/S from soaring. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Dada Nexus?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 25% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 123% overall rise in revenue, aided by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 20% per year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the industry only predicted to deliver 4.4% per year, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that Dada Nexus' P/S is closely matching its industry peers. It may be that most investors aren't convinced the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Key Takeaway

Dada Nexus' plummeting stock price has brought its P/S back to a similar region as the rest of the industry. 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.

We've established that Dada Nexus currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its forecasted revenue growth is higher than the wider industry. When we see a strong revenue outlook, with growth outpacing the industry, we can only assume potential uncertainty around these figures are what might be placing slight pressure on the P/S ratio. It appears some are indeed anticipating revenue instability, because these conditions should normally provide a boost to the share price.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Dada Nexus has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.