Generally speaking, investors are inspired to be stock pickers by the potential to find the big winners. Mistakes are inevitable, but a single top stock pick can cover any losses, and so much more. Take, for example, the Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments Co., Ltd. (HKG:1858) share price, which skyrocketed 461% over three years. On top of that, the share price is up 136% in about a quarter. This could be related to the recent financial results, released recently - you can catch up on the most recent data by reading our company report.

Check out our latest analysis for Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. 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.

Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments was able to grow its EPS at 52% per year over three years, sending the share price higher. This EPS growth is lower than the 78% average annual increase in the share price. So it's fair to assume the market has a higher opinion of the business than it did three years ago. It's not unusual to see the market 're-rate' a stock, after a few years of growth.

You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

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. Dive deeper into the earnings by checking this interactive graph of Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). 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. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments, it has a TSR of 490% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments shareholders have gained 215% (in total) over the last year. That includes the value of the dividend. That's better than the annualized TSR of 81% over the last three years. The improving returns to shareholders suggests the stock is becoming more popular with time. Before spending more time on Beijing Chunlizhengda Medical Instruments it might be wise to click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling shares.

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 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.