Stock Analysis

SSP Group's(LON:SSPG) Share Price Is Down 55% Over The Past Year.

LSE:SSPG
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It is a pleasure to report that the SSP Group plc (LON:SSPG) is up 62% in the last quarter. But that's small comfort given the dismal price performance over the last year. During that time the share price has sank like a stone, descending 55%. So the bounce should be viewed in that context. Of course, it could be that the fall was overdone.

View our latest analysis for SSP Group

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

SSP Group fell to a loss making position during the year. While this may prove temporary, we'd consider it a negative, so it doesn't surprise us that the stock price is down. Of course, if the company can turn the situation around, investors will likely profit.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

earnings-per-share-growth
LSE:SSPG Earnings Per Share Growth February 3rd 2021

It's probably worth noting we've seen significant insider buying in the last quarter, which we consider a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. Dive deeper into the earnings by checking this interactive graph of SSP Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 5.7% in the twelve months, SSP Group shareholders did even worse, losing 54%. 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. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 4%, 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. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Even so, be aware that SSP Group is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable...

SSP Group is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

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