The five-year loss for CoreCard (NYSE:CCRD) shareholders likely driven by its shrinking earnings

CoreCard Corporation (NYSE:CCRD) shareholders will doubtless be very grateful to see the share price up 58% in the last month. But if you look at the last five years the returns have not been good. After all, the share price is down 50% in that time, significantly under-performing the market.

On a more encouraging note the company has added US$28m to its market cap in just the last 7 days, so let's see if we can determine what's driven the five-year loss for shareholders.

See our latest analysis for CoreCard

To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' 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 the five years over which the share price declined, CoreCard's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 14% each year. This change in EPS is reasonably close to the 13% average annual decrease in the share price. This implies that the market has had a fairly steady view of the stock. So it's fair to say the share price has been responding to changes in EPS.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on CoreCard's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

CoreCard shareholders have received returns of 38% over twelve months, which isn't far from the general market return. To take a positive view, the gain is pleasing, and it sure beats annualized TSR loss of 8%, which was endured over half a decade. While 'turnarounds seldom turn' there are green shoots for CoreCard. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with CoreCard .

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: most of them are flying under the radar).

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