Investors three-year losses grow to 19% as the stock sheds €72m this past week

While not a mind-blowing move, it is good to see that the Compagnie des Alpes SA (EPA:CDA) share price has gained 10% in the last three months. But that doesn't help the fact that the three year return is less impressive. Truth be told the share price declined 46% in three years and that return, Dear Reader, falls short of what you could have got from passive investing with an index fund.

After losing 9.5% this past week, it's worth investigating the company's fundamentals to see what we can infer from past performance.

See our latest analysis for Compagnie des Alpes

Compagnie des Alpes wasn't profitable in the last twelve months, it is unlikely we'll see a strong correlation between its share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Arguably revenue is our next best option. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth.

Over the last three years, Compagnie des Alpes' revenue dropped 38% per year. That means its revenue trend is very weak compared to other loss making companies. On the face of it we'd posit the share price fall of 13% compound, over three years is well justified by the fundamental deterioration. It would probably be worth asking whether the company can fund itself to profitability. The company will need to return to revenue growth as quickly as possible, if it wants to see some enthusiasm from investors.

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

Take a more thorough look at Compagnie des Alpes' financial health with this free report on its balance sheet.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

Investors should note that there's a difference between Compagnie des Alpes' total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. 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. Dividends have been really beneficial for Compagnie des Alpes shareholders, and that cash payout explains why its total shareholder loss of 19%, over the last 3 years, isn't as bad as the share price return.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 13% in the last year, Compagnie des Alpes shareholders lost 9.0%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 1.6% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Compagnie des Alpes better, we need to consider many other factors. Even so, be aware that Compagnie des Alpes is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

Of course Compagnie des Alpes may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

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