Did You Miss Sandstorm Gold's 92% Share Price Gain?

February 20, 2019

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One simplest way to benefit from the stock market is to buy an index fund. But if you pick the right individual stocks, you could make more than that. For example, Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (TSE:SSL) shareholders have seen the share price rise 92% over three years, well in excess of the market return (36%). However, more recent returns haven't been as impressive as that, with the stock returning just 27% in the last year.

View our latest analysis for Sandstorm Gold

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During the three years of share price growth, Sandstorm Gold actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) drop 41% per year. Thus, it seems unlikely that the market is focussed on EPS growth at the moment. Therefore, we think it's worth considering other metrics as well.

It may well be that Sandstorm Gold revenue growth rate of 12% over three years has convinced shareholders to believe in a brighter future. In that case, the company may be sacrificing current earnings per share to drive growth, and maybe shareholder's faith in better days ahead will be rewarded.

You can see how revenue and earnings have changed over time in the image below, (click on the chart to see cashflow).

TSX:SSL Income Statement Export February 20th 19

We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. So we recommend checking out this freereport showing consensus forecasts

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Sandstorm Gold has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 27% in the last twelve months. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 4.8%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. It is all well and good that insiders have been buying shares, but we suggest you check here to see what price insiders were buying at.

Sandstorm Gold is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this freelist of growing companies with insider buying.

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

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.

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. Thank you for reading.