If You Had Bought Merchant House International (ASX:MHI) Stock A Year Ago, You'd Be Sitting On A 51% Loss, Today
Investing in stocks comes with the risk that the share price will fall. And there's no doubt that Merchant House International Limited (ASX:MHI) stock has had a really bad year. To wit the share price is down 51% in that time. We note that it has not been easy for shareholders over three years, either; the share price is down 47% in that time.
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See our latest analysis for Merchant House International
Given that Merchant House International 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. When a company doesn't make profits, we'd generally expect to see good revenue growth. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.
In the last twelve months, Merchant House International increased its revenue by 8.2%. That's not a very high growth rate considering it doesn't make profits. It's likely this muted growth has contributed to the share price decline of 51% in the last year. Like many holders, we really want to see better revenue growth in companies that lose money. Of course, the market can be too impatient at times. Why not take a closer look at this one so you're ready to pounce if growth does accelerate.
The graphic below shows how revenue and earnings have changed as management guided the business forward. If you want to see cashflow, you can click on the chart.
This free interactive report on Merchant House International's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.
What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?
Investors should note that there's a difference between Merchant House International's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. Dividends have been really beneficial for Merchant House International shareholders, and that cash payout explains why its total shareholder loss of 51%, over the last year, isn't as bad as the share price return.
A Different Perspective
Investors in Merchant House International had a tough year, with a total loss of 51%, against a market gain of about 10%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 12% over the last half decade. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. Shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
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Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU 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.
