Would Shareholders Who Purchased Left Field Printing Group's (HKG:1540) Stock Year Be Happy With The Share price Today?

Left Field Printing Group Limited (HKG:1540) shareholders will doubtless be very grateful to see the share price up 33% in the last quarter. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last year have been less than pleasing. In fact, the price has declined 11% in a year, falling short of the returns you could get by investing in an index fund.

View our latest analysis for Left Field Printing Group

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

Unhappily, Left Field Printing Group had to report a 8.3% decline in EPS over the last year. This reduction in EPS is not as bad as the 11% share price fall. Unsurprisingly, given the lack of EPS growth, the market seems to be more cautious about the stock.

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

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. This free interactive report on Left Field Printing Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Left Field Printing Group's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. Its history of dividend payouts mean that Left Field Printing Group's TSR of 0.3% over the last year is better than the share price return.

A Different Perspective

We're happy to report that Left Field Printing Group are up 0.3% over the year. While it's always nice to make a profit on the stock market, we do note that the TSR was no better than the broader market return of about 28%. However, that falls short of the 33% gain it has made, for shareholders, in the last three months. It's worth taking note when returns accelerate, as it can indicate positive change in the underlying business, and winners often keep winning. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Left Field Printing Group better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Left Field Printing Group (at least 1 which is concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

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