Introducing Bowler Metcalf (JSE:BCF), A Stock That Climbed 38% In The Last Year

We believe investing is smart because history shows that stock markets go higher in the long term. But if when you choose to buy stocks, some of them will be below average performers. Unfortunately for shareholders, while the Bowler Metcalf Limited (JSE:BCF) share price is up 38% in the last year, that falls short of the market return. However, the stock hasn't done so well in the longer term, with the stock only up 7.3% in three years.

See our latest analysis for Bowler Metcalf

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

Bowler Metcalf was able to grow EPS by 30% in the last twelve months. The share price gain of 38% certainly outpaced the EPS growth. So it's fair to assume the market has a higher opinion of the business than it a year ago.

The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

Dive deeper into Bowler Metcalf's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of Bowler Metcalf's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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 incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Bowler Metcalf's TSR for the last year was 43%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

Bowler Metcalf shareholders gained a total return of 43% during the year. But that was short of the market average. On the bright side, that's still a gain, and it's actually better than the average return of 11% over half a decade This could indicate that the company is winning over new investors, as it pursues its strategy. 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 example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Bowler Metcalf that you should be aware of before investing here.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

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