Some issues are pretty straightforward to place a price on, however others are rather a lot tougher. I put the Ocado (LSE: OCDO) share price firmly within the latter class.

Ocado got here to market by way of its preliminary public providing (IPO) as way back as 2010.

I count on those that purchased some shares again then anticipated to see some sustainable revenue by now. However they’ll have been disillusioned, with additional annual losses on the forecasters’ playing cards no less than till 2026.

Increase and bust

And simply have a look at what occurred to the share price. It went by way of the roof and got here near £30 in 2020 and 2021. However at the moment, traders had been going it like Covid had killed bricks-and-mortar outlets for good, and Ocado would quickly sew up the complete meals retail enterprise.

In fact, nothing like that occurred, and the price deflated once more. On the time of writing, it’s at 439p, and the inventory is down within the FTSE 250.

What subsequent?

However with all this doom and despair, what may happend to the Ocado share price by the tip of 2024?

The Metropolis analysts are pretty evenly divided on the query, even a bit bearish general.

However, you already know, I ponder if it could be time to be a little bit of a contrarian?

I feel it’s honest to say that the pandemic and its aftermath helped throw the Ocado plans astray. However now we’re over it, we should always have a clearer view of how the long-term on-line groceries enterprise is more likely to go.

Buyer base

With H1 outcomes on 16 July, CEO Tim Steiner identified that Ocado already helps “13 of the world’s main grocers to develop their on-line enterprise with our know-how“.

And talking of getting again into its long-term groove, he added: “The global channel shift to online has now resumed and Ocado is uniquely well positioned to take advantage of the opportunity.”

The monetary backside line nonetheless may not make nice studying, however I’d say it’s really higher than it appears. We’re nonetheless taking a look at losses, however they’re reducing. The primary half this 12 months noticed a £154m loss earlier than tax, down near half from the £290m recorded a 12 months beforehand.

I count on the Ocado share price to stay unstable for a very long time but. So I’d say there’s an enormous danger of short-term losses.

Forecast revenue?

Brokers see Ocado’s income rising steadily within the subsequent few years. And EBITDA is optimistic and appears set to develop properly, with bottom-line losses persevering with to lower.

There’s one factor I don’t like, although, and I concern it would throw all the pieces off observe. Curiosity funds look set to climb within the subsequent few years. Have to regulate that.

I reckon the primary time we see a revenue on the forecasters’ horizon, the Ocado share price may simply take off. If we see a revenue on the forecasters’ horizon, that’s.

Nonetheless, with traders trying like they fancy a little bit of progress danger once more, I feel Ocado may finish 2024 forward.