Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR) share price has dived 31% in the last thirty days, prolonging recent pain. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 15% in that time.

Although its price has dipped substantially, given close to half the companies operating in the United States' Consumer Services industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.5x, you may still consider Coursera as a stock to potentially avoid with its 2.3x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

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

Coursera could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to undergo a reversal of fortunes, which has elevated the P/S ratio. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Coursera?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as high as Coursera's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 19%. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 100% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 9.9% as estimated by the analysts watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 16% growth, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

With this information, we find it concerning that Coursera is trading at a P/S higher than the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. There's a good chance these shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

What Does Coursera's P/S Mean For Investors?

There's still some elevation in Coursera's P/S, even if the same can't be said for its share price recently. 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've concluded that Coursera currently trades on a much higher than expected P/S since its forecast growth is lower than the wider industry. When we see a weak revenue outlook, we suspect the share price faces a much greater risk of declining, bringing back down the P/S figures. At these price levels, investors should remain cautious, particularly if things don't improve.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Coursera that you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Coursera, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.