Highlights
- Xero (XRO) offers strong margins and recurring revenues
- Shares trade below the 5-year average valuation ratio
- Global expansion remains a key growth strategy
The share price of Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) has dipped by 2.0% since the beginning of 2025. Despite this slight pullback, there’s a broader story about the company’s performance, potential, and its place within the high-growth tech sector on the ASX.
Founded in Wellington, New Zealand in 2006, Xero has become a globally recognized name in the world of cloud-based accounting software. Initially designed to support accountants and bookkeepers in servicing small businesses, its platform now reaches millions of users around the world, enabling real-time financial management from virtually any device.
The company’s presence spans several key markets including New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and more recently, the United States. This international push is part of Xero’s long-term strategy to capture a larger global market share through scalable technology and simplified access.
Xero operates in the fast-evolving technology sector, which has outpaced many others in recent years. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX:XIJ) has delivered an average annual return of 13.34% over the last five years—well above the broader ASX200 benchmark's return of 8.82%. This consistent outperformance has brought attention to companies like Xero.
What makes Xero particularly compelling in this space is its high-margin profile. As per its latest annual report, the company recorded a gross margin of 88.20% and an operating margin of 15.10%. These figures underscore the capital efficiency often seen in software-as-a-service (SaaS) models, which benefit from low overhead and low marginal costs.
The SaaS business model also brings another advantage: recurring revenue. Unlike one-time product sales, recurring subscription income tends to offer more consistency and long-term predictability—an attractive feature for companies and stakeholders alike.
From a valuation standpoint, Xero’s current price-to-sales ratio sits at 16.01x, below its five-year average of 18.65x. This suggests that either the share price has softened or revenues have risen—both of which may create interest among those monitoring pricing trends. However, it's worth noting that valuation should be evaluated alongside broader financial and market contexts.
For those interested in diversifying across asset classes, Xero’s sector profile also contrasts with ASX dividend stocks, offering potential growth rather than income-focused strategies.
As global markets continue to evolve, companies like Xero (XRO) stand out for their scalability, tech-driven efficiency, and commitment to innovation.