Did Changing Sentiment Drive Talwalkars Better Value Fitness's (NSE:TALWALKARS) Share Price Down A Painful 79%?

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As an investor, mistakes are inevitable. But you want to avoid the really big losses like the plague. So spare a thought for the long term shareholders of Talwalkars Better Value Fitness Limited (NSE:TALWALKARS); the share price is down a whopping 79% in the last three years. That'd be enough to cause even the strongest minds some disquiet. There was little comfort for shareholders in the last week as the price declined a further 4.5%.

Check out our latest analysis for Talwalkars Better Value Fitness

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During the three years that the share price fell, Talwalkars Better Value Fitness's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 35% each year. This change in EPS is reasonably close to the 41% average annual decrease in the share price. That suggests that the market sentiment around the company hasn't changed much over that time, despite the disappointment. Rather, the share price has approximately tracked EPS growth.

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

This free interactive report on Talwalkars Better Value Fitness's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 0.6% in the last year, Talwalkars Better Value Fitness shareholders lost 7.6% (even including dividends). However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, longer term shareholders are suffering worse, given the loss of 24% doled out over the last five years. We would want clear information suggesting the company will grow, before taking the view that the share price will stabilize. Is Talwalkars Better Value Fitness cheap compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

But note: Talwalkars Better Value Fitness may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

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