How Much Did Monash IVF Group's(ASX:MVF) Shareholders Earn From Share Price Movements Over The Last Three Years?

Monash IVF Group Limited (ASX:MVF) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 13% in the last quarter. But that cannot eclipse the less-than-impressive returns over the last three years. In fact, the share price is down 52% in the last three years, falling well short of the market return.

View our latest analysis for Monash IVF Group

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

Monash IVF Group saw its EPS decline at a compound rate of 29% per year, over the last three years. In comparison the 22% compound annual share price decline isn't as bad as the EPS drop-off. So, despite the prior disappointment, shareholders must have some confidence the situation will improve, longer term.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We've already covered Monash IVF Group's share price action, but we should also mention its total shareholder return (TSR). Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. Dividends have been really beneficial for Monash IVF Group shareholders, and that cash payout explains why its total shareholder loss of 41%, over the last 3 years, isn't as bad as the share price return.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Monash IVF Group shareholders are down 32% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 6.8%. 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. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 5.3% per year over five years. 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. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Monash IVF Group better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Monash IVF Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them is concerning.

Monash IVF Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

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

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. 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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