Wayfair's stock has been keeping investors on their toes, and if you’re here, chances are you’re weighing what to do next. There’s been no shortage of drama in the share price. Just in the past week, the stock dropped 16.1%, and over the last month, it’s down another 15%. That said, zoom out a bit and the picture gets a lot more interesting. Since the start of the year, Wayfair is up 61.3%, and over the last three years, the stock has returned an impressive 162%. However, long-term holders have learned how brutal this ride can be with a 75% dip over five years. It’s a roller coaster, for sure.
Some of these moves tie back to bigger trends in the home goods market and renewed optimism about digital retail’s growth runway. There’s a sense that risk perceptions are shifting, sometimes in favor, sometimes suddenly against. But beneath the price swings, I know what you’re most interested in: is Wayfair actually undervalued right now? According to a blend of valuation checks, the company scores a 3 out of 6 on our value scale. That means it looks undervalued in half of the major areas analysts watch closely.
Let’s break down what those different valuation methods reveal about Wayfair today. If you hang with me until the end, I’ll show you an even smarter lens for sizing up Wayfair’s true potential.
Approach 1: Wayfair Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis
The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model takes Wayfair's expected future cash flows and discounts them back to today’s dollars. This aims to estimate what the business is truly worth right now. This approach is often considered a gold standard for intrinsic valuation because it focuses purely on cash Wayfair is expected to generate, not market hype or sentiment.
Currently, Wayfair’s trailing twelve months Free Cash Flow sits at $87.8 million, highlighting how the company is starting from a relatively modest base but is expected to scale dramatically in the years ahead. Analyst consensus projections show Free Cash Flow rising from $418.6 million in 2026 to $999.9 million by the end of 2029. For years after 2029, projections are extrapolated and indicate an ongoing upward trajectory. All figures are in US dollars.
Rolling these projections together and discounting them to present-day value yields an estimated intrinsic value per share of $155.89. Compared to where Wayfair shares are trading now, that implies the stock is roughly 52.4% undervalued based on this DCF method.
Result: UNDERVALUED
Our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis suggests Wayfair is undervalued by 52.4%. Track this in your watchlist or portfolio, or discover more undervalued stocks.
Approach 2: Wayfair Price vs Sales
The Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio is often used as a go-to metric for valuing companies like Wayfair, especially when profitability is inconsistent or when reinvestment in growth means earnings do not tell the whole story. For high-growth or turnaround retailers, the P/S ratio can offer a clearer view of how the market is valuing the company’s sales base and future revenue potential, rather than just looking at net income.
Growth expectations and risk are big influencers of what counts as a “normal” P/S ratio. Rapidly growing companies can command higher P/S multiples, while those with more risk or inconsistent growth tend to trade lower. For context, Wayfair currently trades at a P/S ratio of 0.80x. This sits above the broader Specialty Retail industry average of 0.44x but below its direct peer group average of 1.31x.
Simply Wall St's proprietary “Fair Ratio” takes the analysis a step further by tailoring the multiple to Wayfair’s unique characteristics, such as its earnings growth outlook, profit margins, industry dynamics, and even market cap. This approach is more nuanced than simply stacking Wayfair up against peers or a blunt industry average, as it factors in specific strengths, weaknesses, and risks that generalized comparisons may overlook.
Comparing Wayfair’s actual P/S of 0.80x to its Fair Ratio of 0.69x, the difference is just 0.11x, which is a pretty narrow gap. This suggests the market is valuing Wayfair at roughly the level you would expect, given all the relevant growth and risk factors.
Result: ABOUT RIGHT
PS ratios tell one story, but what if the real opportunity lies elsewhere? Discover companies where insiders are betting big on explosive growth.
Upgrade Your Decision Making: Choose your Wayfair Narrative
Earlier we mentioned that there is an even better way to understand valuation, so let’s introduce you to Narratives. A Narrative is simply your story or perspective on a company, combining what you believe about its future sales, earnings, and margins into a financial forecast which leads to a fair value. This approach goes beyond static ratios, as it links everything you know or expect about Wayfair’s business into an actionable investment thesis.
On Simply Wall St’s Community page, millions of investors use Narratives as an easy, accessible tool to create and share their own view of Wayfair. These narratives update automatically as new news or earnings are released. Narratives bridge the gap between a company’s evolving story and real-time valuation, letting you compare Fair Value to the market Price to spot opportunities or red flags for buying or selling.
For example, on Wayfair, some investors expect big upside, forecasting a fair value of $105.00 per share thanks to rapid growth and margin expansion through initiatives like CastleGate and Wayfair Verified. Others are more cautious, setting fair value as low as $51.00 based on concerns about volatile margins and macroeconomic headwinds. Narratives put these views in your hands, so you can clearly see how your outlook compares and make decisions with confidence.
Do you think there's more to the story for Wayfair? Create your own Narrative to let the Community know!
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.
Valuation is complex, but we're here to simplify it.
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