Central Federal Corporation (NASDAQ:CFBK): Does The -69.28% Earnings Decline Make It An Underperformer?

For investors, increase in profitability and industry-beating performance can be essential considerations in an investment. Below, I will examine Central Federal Corporation's (NASDAQ:CFBK) track record on a high level, to give you some insight into how the company has been performing against its long term trend and its industry peers. See our latest analysis for Central Federal

Did CFBK perform worse than its track record and industry?

To account for any quarterly or half-yearly updates, I use the ‘latest twelve-month’ data, which annualizes the most recent half-year data, or in some cases, the latest annual report is already the most recent financial year data. This allows me to assess different companies on a similar basis, using new information. For Central Federal, its most recent bottom-line (trailing twelve month) is US$1.17M, which, against the prior year's level, has sunken by a significant -69.28%. Given that these values are relatively short-term, I have created an annualized five-year figure for Central Federal's earnings, which stands at -US$499.81K This shows that although earnings growth was negative against the prior year, over the long run, Central Federal's earnings have been increasing on average.

What's enabled this growth? Let's see if it is solely because of an industry uplift, or if Central Federal has seen some company-specific growth. In the last couple of years, Central Federal expanded its bottom line faster than revenue by efficiently controlling its costs. This has caused a margin expansion and profitability over time. Looking at growth from a sector-level, the US mortgage industry has been relatively flat in terms of earnings growth over the prior year, evening out from a notable 12.93% over the past five years. This shows that whatever near-term headwind the industry is facing, it’s hitting Central Federal harder than its peers.

What does this mean?

Central Federal's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Companies are profitable, but have unpredictable earnings, can have many factors impacting its business. I suggest you continue to research Central Federal to get a better picture of the stock by looking at:

• 1. Financial Health: Is CFBK’s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why we’ve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here.
• 2. Valuation: What is CFBK worth today? Is the stock undervalued, even when its growth outlook is factored into its intrinsic value? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether CFBK is currently mispriced by the market.
• 3. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 30 September 2017. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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Simply Wall St analyst Simply Wall St and Simply Wall St have no position in any of the companies mentioned. This article 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.