bluebird bio, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:BLUE) Revenues Are Not Doing Enough For Some Investors

With a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.3x bluebird bio, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLUE) may be sending very bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all the Biotechs companies in the United States have P/S ratios greater than 11.5x and even P/S higher than 68x are not unusual. However, the P/S might be quite low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for bluebird bio

How bluebird bio Has Been Performing

With revenue growth that's exceedingly strong of late, bluebird bio has been doing very well. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/S ratio. 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 earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on bluebird bio will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as depressed as bluebird bio's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry decidedly.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company's revenues underwent some rampant growth over the last 12 months. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been anywhere near as strong with three-year revenue growth being relatively non-existent overall. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Comparing the recent medium-term revenue trends against the industry's one-year growth forecast of 91% shows it's noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's understandable that bluebird bio's P/S sits below the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting to see the recent limited growth rates continue into the future and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

The Key Takeaway

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

As we suspected, our examination of bluebird bio revealed its three-year revenue trends are contributing to its low P/S, given they look worse than current industry expectations. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it's hard to see the share price experience a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

You need to take note of risks, for example - bluebird bio has 6 warning signs (and 3 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.