Shareholders in Jiangsu Nanfang Medical (SHSE:603880) have lost 51%, as stock drops 10% this past week

The truth is that if you invest for long enough, you're going to end up with some losing stocks. Long term Jiangsu Nanfang Medical Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603880) shareholders know that all too well, since the share price is down considerably over three years. Unfortunately, they have held through a 51% decline in the share price in that time. And the ride hasn't got any smoother in recent times over the last year, with the price 28% lower in that time. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 17% in the last three months. However, one could argue that the price has been influenced by the general market, which is down 7.7% in the same timeframe.

With the stock having lost 10% in the past week, it's worth taking a look at business performance and seeing if there's any red flags.

Check out our latest analysis for Jiangsu Nanfang Medical

Jiangsu Nanfang Medical isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually desire strong revenue growth. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one would hope for good top-line growth to make up for the lack of earnings.

Over the last three years, Jiangsu Nanfang Medical's revenue dropped 10% per year. That is not a good result. With revenue in decline, and profit but a dream, we can understand why the share price has been declining at 15% per year. Having said that, if growth is coming in the future, now may be the low ebb for the company. We don't generally like to own companies that lose money and can't grow revenues. But any company is worth looking at when it makes a maiden profit.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

This free interactive report on Jiangsu Nanfang Medical's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 17% in the twelve months, Jiangsu Nanfang Medical shareholders did even worse, losing 28%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 7% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. 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. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Jiangsu Nanfang Medical that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

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

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com