Investing in stocks inevitably means buying into some companies that perform poorly. But the last three years have been particularly tough on longer term Abhotel Co., Ltd. (TYO:6565) shareholders. Regrettably, they have had to cope with a 53% drop in the share price over that period. And more recent buyers are having a tough time too, with a drop of 44% in the last year. Furthermore, it's down 13% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders.
View our latest analysis for Abhotel
While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just 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).
Abhotel saw its EPS decline at a compound rate of 41% per year, over the last three years. In comparison the 22% compound annual share price decline isn't as bad as the EPS drop-off. This suggests that the market retains some optimism around long term earnings stability, despite past EPS declines. This positive sentiment is also reflected in the generous P/E ratio of 50.78.
You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).
Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here.
A Different Perspective
Over the last year, Abhotel shareholders took a loss of 44%. In contrast the market gained about 10%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. The three-year loss of 15% per year isn't as bad as the last twelve months, suggesting that the company has not been able to convince the market it has solved its problems. Although Baron Rothschild famously said to "buy when there's blood in the streets, even if the blood is your own", he also focusses on high quality stocks with solid prospects. 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. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Abhotel (at least 1 which shouldn't be ignored) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
But note: Abhotel 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 JP 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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About TSE:6565
Excellent balance sheet with acceptable track record.