Stock Analysis

Investors Continue Waiting On Sidelines For Wag! Group Co. (NASDAQ:PET)

NasdaqGM:PET
Source: Shutterstock

Wag! Group Co.'s (NASDAQ:PET) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.9x may look like a pretty appealing investment opportunity when you consider close to half the companies in the Consumer Services industry in the United States have P/S ratios greater than 1.5x. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Check out our latest analysis for Wag! Group

ps-multiple-vs-industry
NasdaqGM:PET Price to Sales Ratio vs Industry January 19th 2024

How Wag! Group Has Been Performing

Recent times have been advantageous for Wag! Group as its revenues have been rising faster than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is low because investors think this strong revenue performance might be less impressive moving forward. 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 out of favour.

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

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?

Wag! Group's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 73% gain to the company's top line. This great performance means it was also able to deliver immense revenue growth over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have been over the moon with those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 26% per annum during the coming three years according to the five analysts following the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 14% per year growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this information, we find it odd that Wag! Group is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

The Bottom Line On Wag! Group's P/S

We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

Wag! Group's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior revenue outlook isn't contributing to its P/S anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. There could be some major risk factors that are placing downward pressure on the P/S ratio. While the possibility of the share price plunging seems unlikely due to the high growth forecasted for the company, the market does appear to have some hesitation.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Wag! Group, and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

Valuation is complex, but we're helping make it simple.

Find out whether Wag! Group is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

View the Free Analysis

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

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.