Loss-making Roivant Sciences (NASDAQ:ROIV) has seen earnings and shareholder returns follow the same downward trajectory over past -42%

Roivant Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ:ROIV) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 13% in the last week. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last year have been less than pleasing. After all, the share price is down 42% in the last year, significantly under-performing the market.

On a more encouraging note the company has added US$457m to its market cap in just the last 7 days, so let's see if we can determine what's driven the one-year loss for shareholders.

See our latest analysis for Roivant Sciences

Given that Roivant Sciences didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth.

Roivant Sciences' revenue didn't grow at all in the last year. In fact, it fell 15%. That's not what investors generally want to see. The stock price has languished lately, falling 42% in a year. That seems pretty reasonable given the lack of both profits and revenue growth. We think most holders must believe revenue growth will improve, or else costs will decline.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

A Different Perspective

While Roivant Sciences shareholders are down 42% for the year, the market itself is up 5.2%. While the aim is to do better than that, it's worth recalling that even great long-term investments sometimes underperform for a year or more. It's worth noting that the last three months did the real damage, with a 55% decline. So it seems like some holders have been dumping the stock of late - and that's not bullish. 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. Even so, be aware that Roivant Sciences is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.

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