The Sapiens International (NASDAQ:SPNS) Share Price Has Gained 216%, So Why Not Pay It Some Attention?

The worst result, after buying shares in a company (assuming no leverage), would be if you lose all the money you put in. But if you buy shares in a really great company, you can more than double your money. To wit, the Sapiens International Corporation N.V. (NASDAQ:SPNS) share price has flown 216% in the last three years. That sort of return is as solid as granite. On top of that, the share price is up 48% in about a quarter. This could be related to the recent financial results, released recently - you can catch up on the most recent data by reading our company report.

View our latest analysis for Sapiens International

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Sapiens International was able to grow its EPS at 107% per year over three years, sending the share price higher. The average annual share price increase of 47% is actually lower than the EPS growth. Therefore, it seems the market has moderated its expectations for growth, somewhat. Having said that, the market is still optimistic, given the P/E ratio of 57.47.

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

We know that Sapiens International has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? If you are thinking of buying or selling Sapiens International stock, you should check out this FREE detailed report on its balance sheet.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. We note that for Sapiens International the TSR over the last 3 years was 232%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Sapiens International has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 87% in the last twelve months. That's including the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 27% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Sapiens International better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Sapiens International you should know about.

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

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

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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. 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.
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