Shareholders Of Symtek Automation Asia (TPE:6438) Must Be Happy With Their 164% Total Return
When you buy shares in a company, it's worth keeping in mind the possibility that it could fail, and you could lose your money. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. For instance, the price of Symtek Automation Asia Co., Ltd. (TPE:6438) stock is up an impressive 105% over the last five years. In the last week shares have slid back 3.3%.
See our latest analysis for Symtek Automation Asia
In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. 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 five years of share price growth, Symtek Automation Asia actually saw its EPS drop 7.3% per year.
This means it's unlikely the market is judging the company based on earnings growth. Since the change in EPS doesn't seem to correlate with the change in share price, it's worth taking a look at other metrics.
The modest 1.8% dividend yield is unlikely to be propping up the share price. On the other hand, Symtek Automation Asia's revenue is growing nicely, at a compound rate of 8.1% over the last five years. In that case, the company may be sacrificing current earnings per share to drive growth.
The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).
This free interactive report on Symtek Automation Asia's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.
What About Dividends?
When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and 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. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Symtek Automation Asia the TSR over the last 5 years was 164%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!
A Different Perspective
Symtek Automation Asia shareholders are up 9.7% for the year (even including dividends). But that return falls short of the market. If we look back over five years, the returns are even better, coming in at 21% per year for five years. It may well be that this is a business worth popping on the watching, given the continuing positive reception, over time, from the market. 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 2 warning signs for Symtek Automation Asia (1 is a bit unpleasant) that you should be aware of.
Of course Symtek Automation Asia 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 TW 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 TWSE:6438
Symtek Automation Asia
Designs and manufactures automation equipment and related products in Taiwan.
Flawless balance sheet low.