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Aurora Innovation (AUR) shares have edged slightly higher recently, following a modest uptick of about 2% in the last day and smaller gains over the past week. Investors seem to be weighing the company’s performance during the month, as Aurora continues its work in autonomous vehicle technology.

See our latest analysis for Aurora Innovation.

Zooming out, Aurora Innovation’s 1-year share price return is still down double digits, while its three-year total shareholder return remains notably positive. After a recent stretch of modest gains, momentum is still searching for its footing as investors gauge the company’s long-term roadmap and evolving risk profile.

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With shares trading well below analyst price targets and impressive long-term gains in the rearview, investors now face a critical question: Is Aurora a bargain poised for growth, or is the market already factoring in its future potential?

At a price-to-book ratio of 4.8x, Aurora Innovation trades below its peer average of 5.9x based on this valuation measure. This suggests the stock is relatively more attractively priced compared to similar companies. With the last close at $5.15, this indicates the market is discounting Aurora relative to its book value more than its immediate peer group.

The price-to-book ratio compares a company’s market value to its net asset value. This metric is particularly relevant for asset-light and high-growth sectors like software and autonomous vehicles. For Aurora, this ratio reflects what investors are willing to pay for the company’s equity compared to the book value recorded on its balance sheet.

This valuation suggests investors may be skeptical about Aurora’s path to profitability or are discounting near-term challenges, despite the sector’s broader appetite for growth. However, the company’s price-to-book still remains higher than the US Software industry average of 4x. This signals the market may still be assigning a premium for its technology or future prospects relative to the average US software company, though less so compared to its closest peers.

See what the numbers say about this price — find out in our valuation breakdown.

Result: Price-to-Book of 4.8x (UNDERVALUED compared to peers)

However, continued net losses and uncertainty around the company’s path to profitability remain challenges that could weigh on future share performance.

Find out about the key risks to this Aurora Innovation narrative.

While the price-to-book ratio offers one angle on Aurora’s value, the SWS DCF model provides a different perspective. According to our DCF analysis, Aurora shares are currently trading about 37.8% below our estimate of their fair value. This suggests a considerable undervaluation if you believe the model’s assumptions.

Look into how the SWS DCF model arrives at its fair value.

Simply Wall St performs a discounted cash flow (DCF) on every stock in the world every day (check out Aurora Innovation for example). We show the entire calculation in full. You can track the result in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted when this changes, or use our stock screener to discover undervalued stocks based on their cash flows. If you save a screener we even alert you when new companies match – so you never miss a potential opportunity.

If you see the story differently or want to dig into the numbers yourself, you can craft your own take in just a few minutes with Do it your way.

A great starting point for your Aurora Innovation research is our analysis highlighting 2 key rewards and 2 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.

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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.

Companies discussed in this article include AUR.

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