Introducing Viatron (WSE:VIA), The Stock That Slid 56% In The Last Five Years

Statistically speaking, long term investing is a profitable endeavour. But no-one is immune from buying too high. Zooming in on an example, the Viatron S.A. (WSE:VIA) share price dropped 56% in the last half decade. That's an unpleasant experience for long term holders. Furthermore, it's down 44% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders. Of course, this share price action may well have been influenced by the 22% decline in the broader market, throughout the period.

View our latest analysis for Viatron

Viatron recorded just zł11,000 in revenue over the last twelve months, which isn't really enough for us to consider it to have a proven product. You have to wonder why venture capitalists aren't funding it. 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 Viatron will significantly advance the business plan before too long.

As a general rule, if a company doesn't have much revenue, and it loses money, then it is a high risk investment. There is almost always a chance they will need to raise more capital, and their progress - and share price - will dictate how dilutive that is to current holders. While some companies like this go on to deliver on their plan, making good money for shareholders, many end in painful losses and eventual de-listing. It certainly is a dangerous place to invest, as Viatron investors might realise.

Viatron had liabilities exceeding cash by zł3.2m when it last reported in December 2019, according to our data. That makes it extremely high risk, in our view. But with the share price diving 15% per year, over 5 years , it's probably fair to say that some shareholders no longer believe the company will succeed. You can click on the image below to see (in greater detail) how Viatron's cash levels have changed over time.

It can be extremely risky to invest in a company that doesn't even have revenue. There's no way to know its value easily. Given that situation, would you be concerned if it turned out insiders were relentlessly selling stock? It would bother me, that's for sure. It only takes a moment for you to check whether we have identified any insider sales recently.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Viatron's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. 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. Dividends have been really beneficial for Viatron shareholders, and that cash payout explains why its total shareholder loss of 51%, over the last 5 years, isn't as bad as the share price return.

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Viatron shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 7.6% over the last year. That certainly beats the loss of about 13% per year over the last half decade. The long term loss makes us cautious, but the short term TSR gain certainly hints at a brighter future. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Viatron better, we need to consider many other factors. Take risks, for example - Viatron has 4 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

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

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.

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. Thank you for reading.