The China Literature (HKG:772) Share Price Is Down 47% So Some Shareholders Are Getting Worried
Passive investing in an index fund is a good way to ensure your own returns roughly match the overall market. But if you buy individual stocks, you can do both better or worse than that. Investors in China Literature Limited (HKG:772) have tasted that bitter downside in the last year, as the share price dropped 47%. That contrasts poorly with the market return of -1.6%. China Literature hasn't been listed for long, so although we're wary of recent listings that perform poorly, it may still prove itself with time. There was little comfort for shareholders in the last week as the price declined a further 2.4%.
See our latest analysis for China Literature
While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).
Even though the China Literature share price is down over the year, its EPS actually improved. Of course, the situation might betray previous over-optimism about growth. The divergence between the EPS and the share price is quite notable, during the year. So it's well worth checking out some other metrics, too.
China Literature's revenue is actually up 23% over the last year. Since the fundamental metrics don't readily explain the share price drop, there might be an opportunity if the market has overreacted.
You can see how revenue and earnings have changed over time in the image below, (click on the chart to see cashflow).
We know that China Literature has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.
A Different Perspective
We doubt China Literature shareholders are happy with the loss of 47% over twelve months. That falls short of the market, which lost 1.6%. That's disappointing, but it's worth keeping in mind that the market-wide selling wouldn't have helped. The share price decline has continued throughout the most recent three months, down 3.5%, suggesting an absence of enthusiasm from investors. Basically, most investors should be wary of buying into a poor-performing stock, unless the business itself has clearly improved. Before deciding if you like the current share price, check how China Literature scores on these 3 valuation metrics.
But note: China Literature may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
