Those holding Bionano Genomics, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNGO) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 31% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Still, the 30-day jump doesn't change the fact that longer term shareholders have seen their stock decimated by the 85% share price drop in the last twelve months.

Even after such a large jump in price, Bionano Genomics' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.8x might still make it look like a buy right now compared to the Life Sciences industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 3.1x and even P/S above 7x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

How Has Bionano Genomics Performed Recently?

Bionano Genomics certainly has been doing a good job lately as its revenue growth has been positive while most other companies have been seeing their revenue go backwards. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to follow the rest of the industry downwards, which has kept the P/S suppressed. Those who are bullish on Bionano Genomics will be hoping that this isn't the case and the company continues to beat out the industry.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For Bionano Genomics?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Bionano Genomics would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 27% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 256% overall rise in revenue, aided by its short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the four analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 29% per year over the next three years. With the industry only predicted to deliver 6.9% per annum, the company is positioned for a stronger revenue result.

With this information, we find it odd that Bionano Genomics is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

The Bottom Line On Bionano Genomics' P/S

The latest share price surge wasn't enough to lift Bionano Genomics' P/S close to the industry median. 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.

To us, it seems Bionano Genomics currently trades on a significantly depressed P/S given its forecasted revenue growth is higher than the rest of its industry. When we see strong growth forecasts like this, we can only assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/S ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future revenues could see a lot of volatility.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Bionano Genomics (1 is concerning) you should be aware of.

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.