Investors Who Bought Walkabout Resources (ASX:WKT) Shares Five Years Ago Are Now Up 74%

Walkabout Resources Limited (ASX:WKT) shareholders might understandably be very concerned that the share price has dropped 35% in the last quarter. Looking further back, the stock has generated good profits over five years. It has returned a market beating 74% in that time.

View our latest analysis for Walkabout Resources

Walkabout Resources recorded just AU$22,549 in revenue over the last twelve months, which isn't really enough for us to consider it to have a proven product. So it seems shareholders are too busy dreaming about the progress to come than dwelling on the current (lack of) revenue. For example, investors may be hoping that Walkabout Resources finds some valuable resources, before it runs out of money.

Companies that lack both meaningful revenue and profits are usually considered high risk. There is usually a significant chance that they will need more money for business development, putting them at the mercy of capital markets to raise equity. So the share price itself impacts the value of the shares (as it determines the cost of capital). While some companies like this go on to deliver on their plan, making good money for shareholders, many end in painful losses and eventual de-listing. Some Walkabout Resources investors have already had a taste of the sweet taste stocks like this can leave in the mouth, as they gain popularity and attract speculative capital.

When it reported in December 2019 Walkabout Resources had minimal cash in excess of all liabilities consider its expenditure: just AU$2.9m to be specific. So if it hasn't remedied the situation already, it will almost certainly have to raise more capital soon. It's a testament to the popularity of the business plan that the share price gained 111% per year, over 5 years , despite the weak balance sheet. You can see in the image below, how Walkabout Resources's cash levels have changed over time (click to see the values).

ASX:WKT Historical Debt March 31st 2020
ASX:WKT Historical Debt March 31st 2020

Of course, the truth is that it is hard to value companies without much revenue or profit. Given that situation, many of the best investors like to check if insiders have been buying shares. If they are buying a significant amount of shares, that's certainly a good thing. You can click here to see if there are insiders buying.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

Investors should note that there's a difference between Walkabout Resources'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. We note that Walkabout Resources's TSR, at 90% is higher than its share price return of 74%. When you consider it hasn't been paying a dividend, this data suggests shareholders have benefitted from a spin-off, or had the opportunity to acquire attractively priced shares in a discounted capital raising.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 15% in the twelve months, Walkabout Resources shareholders did even worse, losing 23%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 14% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Walkabout Resources better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 7 warning signs for Walkabout Resources (3 are a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

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

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.

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