It's Down 36% But Uxin Limited (NASDAQ:UXIN) Could Be Riskier Than It Looks

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Uxin Limited (NASDAQ:UXIN) shares are down a considerable 36% 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 72% loss during that time.

Although its price has dipped substantially, it's still not a stretch to say that Uxin's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.2x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Specialty Retail industry in the United States, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.4x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

Check out our latest analysis for Uxin

What Does Uxin's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Uxin hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining revenue compares poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth in their revenues on average. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is moderate because investors think this poor revenue performance will turn around. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a relatively elevated price for a company with this sort of growth profile.

Keen to find out how analysts think Uxin's 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 Uxin?

Uxin's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 35%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 106% overall rise in revenue, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing revenue over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the one analyst covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 8.6% over the next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to only expand by 5.5%, which is noticeably less attractive.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that Uxin's P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Apparently some shareholders are skeptical of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

The Final Word

Following Uxin's share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

We've established that Uxin currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its forecasted revenue growth is higher than the wider industry. Perhaps uncertainty in the revenue forecasts are what's keeping the P/S ratio consistent with the rest of the industry. This uncertainty seems to be reflected in the share price which, while stable, could be higher given the revenue forecasts.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Uxin (including 2 which are significant).

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.