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The simplest way to benefit from a rising market is to buy an index fund. When you buy individual stocks, you can make higher profits, but you also face the risk of under-performance. For example, the Fragrant Prosperity Holdings Limited (LON:FPP) share price is down 40% in the last year. That falls noticeably short of the market return of around 1.0%. We wouldn’t rush to judgement on Fragrant Prosperity Holdings because we don’t have a long term history to look at. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 40% in the last 90 days.
Check out our latest analysis for Fragrant Prosperity Holdings
Fragrant Prosperity Holdings hasn’t yet reported any revenue yet, so it’s as much a business idea as an actual business. This state of affairs suggests that venture capitalists won’t provide funds on attractive terms. So it seems shareholders are too busy dreaming about the progress to come than dwelling on the current (lack of) revenue. It seems likely some shareholders believe that Fragrant Prosperity Holdings will significantly advance the business plan before too long.
We think companies that have neither significant revenues nor profits are pretty high risk. There is usually a significant chance that they will need more money for business development, putting them at the mercy of capital markets. So the share price itself impacts the value of the shares (as it determines the cost of capital). While some such companies go on to make revenue, profits, and generate value, others get hyped up by hopeful naifs before eventually going bankrupt.
When it reported in September 2018 Fragrant Prosperity Holdings had minimal net cash consider its expenditure: just UK£92k to be specific. So if it hasn’t remedied the situation already, it will almost certainly have to raise more capital soon. With that in mind, you can understand why the share price dropped 40% in the last year. You can see in the image below, how Fragrant Prosperity Holdings’s cash levels have changed over time (click to see the values).
In reality it’s hard to have much certainty when valuing a business that has neither revenue or profit. Would it bother you if insiders were selling the stock? It would bother me, that’s for sure. It costs nothing but a moment of your time to see if we are picking up on any insider selling.
A Different Perspective
Given that the market gained 1.0% in the last year, Fragrant Prosperity Holdings shareholders might be miffed that they lost 40%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. You might want to assess this data-rich visualization of its earnings, revenue and cash flow.
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.
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.