Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRPN) share price has dived 27% in the last thirty days, prolonging recent pain. Still, a bad month hasn't completely ruined the past year with the stock gaining 70%, which is great even in a bull market.

Even after such a large drop in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Groupon's P/S ratio of 1.3x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Multiline Retail industry in the United States is also close to 1.4x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

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

While the industry has experienced revenue growth lately, Groupon's revenue has gone into reverse gear, which is not great. It might be that many expect the dour revenue performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/S from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Groupon.

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 Groupon's to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of revenue, the company posted a result that saw barely any deviation from a year ago. This isn't what shareholders were looking for as it means they've been left with a 26% decline in revenue over the last three years in total. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 16% per year as estimated by the three analysts watching the company. With the industry only predicted to deliver 12% per year, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Groupon is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It may be that most investors aren't convinced the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Key Takeaway

Groupon's plummeting stock price has brought its P/S back to a similar region as the rest of the industry. We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

We've established that Groupon currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its forecasted revenue growth is higher than the wider industry. When we see a strong revenue outlook, with growth outpacing the industry, we can only assume potential uncertainty around these figures are what might be placing slight pressure on the P/S ratio. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future revenue could see some volatility.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Groupon, and understanding should be part of your investment process.

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.