Investing can be hard but the potential fo an individual stock to pay off big time inspires us. But when you hold the right stock for the right time period, the rewards can be truly huge. One bright shining star stock has been MicroStrategy Incorporated (NASDAQ:MSTR), which is 539% higher than three years ago. It's also good to see the share price up 16% over the last quarter. The company reported its financial results recently; you can catch up on the latest numbers by reading our company report. Anyone who held for that rewarding ride would probably be keen to talk about it.
So let's assess the underlying fundamentals over the last 3 years and see if they've moved in lock-step with shareholder returns.
MicroStrategy wasn't profitable in the last twelve months, it is unlikely we'll see a strong correlation between its share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Arguably revenue is our next best option. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.
MicroStrategy's revenue trended up 0.2% each year over three years. That's not a very high growth rate considering it doesn't make profits. Therefore, we're a little surprised to see the share price gain has been so strong, at 86% per year, compound, over three years. We'll tip our hats to that, any day, but the top-line growth isn't particularly impressive when you compare it to other pre-profit companies. Shareholders would want to be sure that the share price rise is sustainable.
The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).
It's probably worth noting that the CEO is paid less than the median at similar sized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. If you are thinking of buying or selling MicroStrategy stock, you should check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.
A Different Perspective
We're pleased to report that MicroStrategy shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 322% over one year. That's better than the annualised return of 33% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. 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 learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with MicroStrategy (including 1 which is a bit concerning) .
Of course MicroStrategy 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 US exchanges.
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.
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