Stock Analysis

Investors Give Oscar Health, Inc. (NYSE:OSCR) Shares A 25% Hiding

NYSE:OSCR
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To the annoyance of some shareholders, Oscar Health, Inc. (NYSE:OSCR) shares are down a considerable 25% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. Still, a bad month hasn't completely ruined the past year with the stock gaining 50%, which is great even in a bull market.

Although its price has dipped substantially, when close to half the companies operating in the United States' Insurance industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") above 1.1x, you may still consider Oscar Health as an enticing stock to check out with its 0.4x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

View our latest analysis for Oscar Health

ps-multiple-vs-industry
NYSE:OSCR Price to Sales Ratio vs Industry December 20th 2024

What Does Oscar Health's Recent Performance Look Like?

With revenue growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Oscar Health has been doing relatively well. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to dive, which has kept the P/S suppressed. If the company manages to stay the course, then investors should be rewarded with a share price that matches its revenue figures.

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

How Is Oscar Health's Revenue Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Oscar Health would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 51%. The latest three year period has also seen an incredible overall rise in revenue, aided by its incredible short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the six analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 18% per annum over the next three years. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 5.2% per annum growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that Oscar Health's P/S sits behind most of its industry peers. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Bottom Line On Oscar Health's P/S

The southerly movements of Oscar Health's shares means its P/S is now sitting at a pretty low level. Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Oscar Health'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. When we see strong growth forecasts like this, we can only assume potential risks are what might be placing significant 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.

Having said that, be aware Oscar Health is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.

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.

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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.