It's Down 28% But ATRenew Inc. (NYSE:RERE) Could Be Riskier Than It Looks

ATRenew Inc. (NYSE:RERE) shareholders won't be pleased to see that the share price has had a very rough month, dropping 28% and undoing the prior period's positive performance. The recent drop completes a disastrous twelve months for shareholders, who are sitting on a 57% loss during that time.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, it's still not a stretch to say that ATRenew'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 0.3x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

See our latest analysis for ATRenew

How ATRenew Has Been Performing

ATRenew has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. It might be that many expect the respectable revenue performance to wane, which has kept the P/S from rising. 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 not quite in favour.

We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on ATRenew's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like ATRenew's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 29% gain to the company's top line. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 149% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

When compared to the industry's one-year growth forecast of 5.3%, the most recent medium-term revenue trajectory is noticeably more alluring

With this information, we find it interesting that ATRenew is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It may be that most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

With its share price dropping off a cliff, the P/S for ATRenew looks to be in line with the rest of the Specialty Retail industry. 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.

We didn't quite envision ATRenew's P/S sitting in line with the wider industry, considering the revenue growth over the last three-year is higher than the current industry outlook. When we see strong revenue with faster-than-industry growth, we can only assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/S ratio. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued if recent medium-term revenue trends continue, but investors seem to think future revenue could see some volatility.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for ATRenew that you should be aware of.

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.