To the annoyance of some shareholders, Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE) shares are down a considerable 26% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 22% in that time.

Even after such a large drop in price, there still wouldn't be many who think Bloom Energy's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.9x is worth a mention when the median P/S in the United States' Electrical industry is similar at about 1.6x. 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.

How Has Bloom Energy Performed Recently?

While the industry has experienced revenue growth lately, Bloom Energy'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. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Bloom Energy?

Bloom Energy'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, we see that there was hardly any revenue growth to speak of for the company over the past year. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 52% overall rise in revenue, in spite of its uninspiring short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders will be pleased, but also have some questions to ponder about the last 12 months.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 20% each year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 28% per year, which is noticeably more attractive.

With this information, we find it interesting that Bloom Energy is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of revenue growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Key Takeaway

Following Bloom Energy's share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

When you consider that Bloom Energy's revenue growth estimates are fairly muted compared to the broader industry, it's easy to see why we consider it unexpected to be trading at its current P/S ratio. When we see companies with a relatively weaker revenue outlook compared to the industry, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/S lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

Having said that, be aware Bloom Energy is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.