Buying a stock in the midst of a red-hot rally can be risky because it may eventually run out of steam. It's particularly concerning when the valuation has already gotten out of control and no longer has a grounding in fundamentals.
That's the scenario that investors find themselves in with Nebius Group (NBIS -2.30%). The tech stock is up around 240% this year. It's generated incredible growth, attracted an investment from Nvidia, and still offers attractive long-term opportunities, but there's no denying the stock has become expensive.
Is the stock still a good buy right now, or are you better off just putting Nebius on your watch list?
Image source: Getty Images.
Why has Nebius' stock been taking off this year?
Nebius is a Dutch-based tech company that's right at the heart of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. It is an AI cloud company that provides a platform for businesses to train and deploy AI. It serves a variety of sectors, including healthcare, financial services, and retail, among others.
A quick look at its results confirms the growth has been incredible. During the first three months of the year, the company reported $399 million in revenue, which is an increase of 684% year over year. Although its operating loss actually increased from the prior-year period, investors appear to be willing to overlook that given Nebius' incredible top-line growth and continued growth opportunities.
Plus, with Nvidia announcing a strategic partnership with Nebius earlier this year that includes a $2 billion investment, investors likely see that as a strong vote of confidence in its future.
NASDAQ: NBIS
Key Data Points
Can Nebius stock rise even higher?
Due to its significant run-up in value, Nebius stock now trades at close to 90 times its trailing revenue. Even with tremendous growth ahead, it may be a steep price to pay for the stock, given that CoreWeave, a comparable business that helps tech giants train and run AI models, trades at less than 10 times sales.
At its current valuation, Nebius investors are paying for a lot of future growth, which means expectations will be high and potentially difficult to meet in upcoming earnings reports. Although Nebius has performed exceptionally well this year, I wouldn't buy it right now as there's considerable downside risk given how hot the stock has become. It may be a good idea to track the stock and keep an eye on it, but at an egregiously high premium, it could be running out of room to rise higher.
