Passive investing in an index fund is a good way to ensure your own returns roughly match the overall market. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. That downside risk was realized by The Saudi British Bank (TADAWUL:1060) shareholders over the last year, as the share price declined 28%. That's well below the market return of 4.1%. Longer term shareholders haven't suffered as badly, since the stock is down a comparatively less painful 8.3% in three years. Even worse, it's down 8.5% in about a month, which isn't fun at all.
View our latest analysis for Saudi British Bank
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).
During the last year Saudi British Bank saw its earnings per share drop below zero. Some investors no doubt dumped the stock as a result. However, there may be an opportunity for investors if the company can recover.
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
Saudi British Bank shareholders are down 28% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 4.1%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 4%, each year, over five years. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Saudi British Bank that you should be aware of.
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 SA 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 SASE:1060
Saudi Awwal Bank
Provides banking and financial services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Flawless balance sheet established dividend payer.
