If You Had Bought AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group (AMS:AMG) Stock Five Years Ago, You Could Pocket A 192% Gain Today

It hasn't been the best quarter for AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (AMS:AMG) shareholders, since the share price has fallen 18% in that time. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last five years have been very strong. We think most investors would be happy with the 192% return, over that period. We think it's more important to dwell on the long term returns than the short term returns. Only time will tell if there is still too much optimism currently reflected in the share price. Unfortunately not all shareholders will have held it for the long term, so spare a thought for those caught in the 36% decline over the last twelve months.

View our latest analysis for AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

During five years of share price growth, AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 24% per year. We do note that extraordinary items have impacted its earnings history. This EPS growth is remarkably close to the 24% average annual increase in the share price. This indicates that investor sentiment towards the company has not changed a great deal. Indeed, it would appear the share price is reacting to the EPS.

The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group's TSR for the last 5 years was 215%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

Investors in AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group had a tough year, with a total loss of 35% (including dividends) , against a market gain of about 12%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 26%, each year, over five years. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group (at least 1 which is concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

We will like AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on NL exchanges.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.