There's No Escaping CytomX Therapeutics, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:CTMX) Muted Revenues Despite A 27% Share Price Rise

Those holding CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTMX) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 27% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 25% in the last twelve months.

Although its price has surged higher, CytomX Therapeutics may still look like a strong buying opportunity at present with its price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1x, considering almost half of all companies in the Biotechs industry in the United States have P/S ratios greater than 11.3x and even P/S higher than 47x aren't out of the ordinary. However, the P/S might be quite low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

View our latest analysis for CytomX Therapeutics

What Does CytomX Therapeutics' P/S Mean For Shareholders?

CytomX Therapeutics certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue more than most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to dive, which has kept the P/S suppressed. 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 CytomX Therapeutics will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

CytomX Therapeutics' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling revenue, and importantly, perform much worse than the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an explosive gain to the company's top line. Still, revenue has barely risen at all from three years ago in total, which is not ideal. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to slump, contracting by 8.3% per annum during the coming three years according to the seven analysts following the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 196% growth per annum, that's a disappointing outcome.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that CytomX Therapeutics' P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as the weak outlook is weighing down the shares.

The Bottom Line On CytomX Therapeutics' P/S

Shares in CytomX Therapeutics have risen appreciably however, its P/S is still subdued. 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.

As we suspected, our examination of CytomX Therapeutics' analyst forecasts revealed that its outlook for shrinking revenue is contributing to its low P/S. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless there's material change, it's hard to envision a situation where the stock price will rise drastically.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for CytomX Therapeutics (2 are a bit concerning) you should be aware of.

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.