Does Recent IPO Hour Loop Deserve a Place in Your Portfolio?

: HOUR | Hour Loop Inc. News, Ratings, and Charts

HOUR – Online retailer Hour Loop (HOUR) made a stellar stock market debut in January this year, with its shares opening at a 63.8% premium to their offering price. However, the stock has since lost momentum due to its stretched valuation and the company’s bleak growth prospects. But as HOUR expands its operations overseas to fuel its long-term growth, will its shares be able to regain forward price momentum soon? Read more to learn our view.

Hour Loop, Inc. (HOUR - Get Rating) in Redmond, Wash., is an e-commerce retailer. It manages more than 100,000 stock-keeping units. In addition to its e-commerce website, HOUR has also been a third-party seller on Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) since 2013. HOUR’s primary business strategy is to bring most of its vendors’ product selections directly to customers.

The company made its stock market debut through a traditional initial public offering on the Nasdaq stock exchange on Jan. 11, 2022. It listed 1.50 million shares of common stock at $4 each, raising $6 million in gross proceeds. The stock opened at $6.55 on its first trading day, 63.8% higher than its pre-IPO price. 

However, HOUR shares have declined 54.6% since their IPO to close yesterday’s trading session at $3.01.

Here is what could shape HOUR’s performance in the near term:

Business Expansion

HOUR has been using the net proceeds from the IPO to expand its labor force, purchase inventory and repay outstanding debt. Since its stock market debut, its total employees have increased 328.6% to 300, reflecting its commitment to strategic expansion and its scaling of business operations and capabilities.

On February 23, HOUR opened three new offices in Taipei, Taichung, and Taiwan as part of its strategy to expand its operational capabilities across geographies to drive long-term growth.

Mixed Earnings Growth Prospects

Analysts expect HOUR’s revenues to rise 60% year-over-year to $100.44 million in its fiscal year 2022 (ending December). Furthermore, the Street expects the company’s revenues to improve 50% from the same period last year to $150.66 million next year.

However, the $0.13 consensus EPS estimate for the current year indicates a 7.1% decline year-over-year. Nevertheless, HOUR’s EPS is expected to improve 169.2% year-over-year to $0.35 in 2023.

Stretched Valuation

In terms of non-GAAP forward P/E, HOUR is currently trading at 23.15x, which is 89% higher than the 12.25x industry average Its 0.84 trailing-12-month PEG multiple is 625.9% higher than the 0.12 industry average, while its 19.49 trailing-12-month EV/EBITDA ratio  is 111.2% higher than the 9.23 industry average.

In addition, the stock is currently trading 1.05 times its forward sales, which is 14.8% higher than the 0.91 industry average. Also, its trailing-12-month Price/Cash Flow and Price/Book multiples of 13.58 and 37.76, respectively,  compare with the 10.22 and 2.30 respective industry averages.

POWR Ratings Reflect Uncertainty

HOUR has an overall C rating, which equates to Neutral in our proprietary POWR Ratings system. The POWR Ratings are calculated by considering 118 distinct factors, with each factor weighted to an optimal degree.

HOUR has a C grade for Momentum and Growth. The stock is currently trading above its 50-day moving average of $2.97 but below its 200-day moving average of $3.41, which is in sync with the Momentum grade. In addition, HOUR’s trailing-12-month revenues rose 62.4% year-over-year, while its total assets declined  26.4% over this period, justifying the Growth grade.

Among  the 71 stocks in the F-rated Internet industry, HOUR is ranked #8.

Beyond what I have stated above, view HOUR ratings for Sentiment, Stability, Value, and Quality here.

Bottom Line

HOUR has been losing momentum since its stock market debut because  investors are concerned about its bleak earnings growth prospects amid continuing macroeconomic headwinds and supply chain disruptions. Thus, we think investors should wait until HOUR’s financials improve before investing in the stock.

How Does Hour Loop (HOUR) Stack Up Against its Peers?

While HOUR has a C rating in our proprietary rating system, one might want to consider looking at its industry peers, Yelp Inc. (YELP - Get Rating), Travelzoo (TZOO - Get Rating), and Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE - Get Rating), which have a B (Buy) rating.

Note that EXPE is one of the few stocks handpicked by our Chief Growth Strategist, Jaimini Desai, currently in the POWR Growth portfolio. Learn more here.

Want More Great Investing Ideas?

3 Stocks to DOUBLE This Year

Top 10 Stocks for 2022

REVISED: 2022 Stock Market Outlook

7 SEVERELY Undervalued Stocks


HOUR shares were trading at $3.02 per share on Tuesday afternoon, up $0.01 (+0.33%). Year-to-date, HOUR has declined -62.20%, versus a -6.37% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.


About the Author: Aditi Ganguly


Aditi is an experienced content developer and financial writer who is passionate about helping investors understand the do’s and don'ts of investing. She has a keen interest in the stock market and has a fundamental approach when analyzing equities. More...


More Resources for the Stocks in this Article

TickerPOWR RatingIndustry RankRank in Industry
HOURGet RatingGet RatingGet Rating
YELPGet RatingGet RatingGet Rating
EXPEGet RatingGet RatingGet Rating
TZOOGet RatingGet RatingGet Rating

Most Popular Stories on StockNews.com


Trump or the Fed More Important to Stock Investors?

The S&P 500 (SPY) is flirting with new highs once again. But it is not very clear what is driving these stock price gains. That is why Steve Reitmeister shares his latest views including a market outlook, trading plan and top picks to stay on the right side of the action.

3 Dividend Growth Stocks for Long-Term Wealth

Dividend-growth stocks offer steady income and long-term value. With the Fed holding rates and inflation expected to ease, now is an opportune time to invest in companies like AbbVie (ABBV), Energy Transfer (ET), and Cheniere Energy (CQP) that consistently raise payouts. Read more…

3 Sub-$10 Tech Stocks with Multibagger Potential

The tech market is booming, fueled by AI, cloud computing, and digital transformation. With next-gen software, automation, and 5G driving growth, investors have massive opportunities. For those seeking high potential without the hefty price tag, sub-$10 stocks like Yext, Inc. (YEXT), Eventbrite (EB), and inTEST Corp. (INTT) could be your next big win. Read more...

Viavi Solutions vs. Lumentum Holdings: Which Optical Tech Stock Shines Brighter?

The optical tech industry is well-positioned for growth due to technological advancements and increasing demand for seamless connectivity. So, let’s analyze optical tech stocks, Viavi Solutions (VIAV) and Lumentum Holdings (LITE), to determine which optical tech stock shines brighter. Read on...

Investors in “Wait and See” Mode

Have you noticed that the S&P 500 (SPY) has been trading in a tight trading range of only 6,000 to 6,100 the past few weeks? Steve Reitmeister shares why this is happening along with a game plan for being on the right side of the market action. Read on for the full story...

Read More Stories

More Hour Loop Inc. (HOUR) News View All

Event/Date Symbol News Detail Start Price End Price Change POWR Rating
Loading, please wait...
View All HOUR News