Investing in Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V (BMV:ICHB) three years ago would have delivered you a 160% gain

It might seem bad, but the worst that can happen when you buy a stock (without leverage) is that its share price goes to zero. But if you buy shares in a really great company, you can more than double your money. For example, the Industrias CH, S. A. B. de C. V. (BMV:ICHB) share price has soared 149% in the last three years. That sort of return is as solid as granite. Also pleasing for shareholders was the 12% gain in the last three months.

So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.

Check out our latest analysis for Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. 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.

Over the last three years, Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V failed to grow earnings per share, which fell 7.0% (annualized).

This means it's unlikely the market is judging the company based on earnings growth. Therefore, we think it's worth considering other metrics as well.

It may well be that Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V revenue growth rate of 13% over three years has convinced shareholders to believe in a brighter future. In that case, the company may be sacrificing current earnings per share to drive growth, and maybe shareholder's faith in better days ahead will be rewarded.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We've already covered Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V's share price action, but we should also mention its total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V's TSR of 160% for the 3 years exceeded its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 76% in the last twelve months. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 12%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V better, we need to consider many other factors. Even so, be aware that Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

Of course Industrias CH S. A. B. de C. V may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

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

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.