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When we invest, we're generally looking for stocks that outperform the market average. And in our experience, buying the right stocks can give your wealth a significant boost. For example, long term Karelia Tobacco Company Inc. (ATH:KARE) shareholders have enjoyed a 39% share price rise over the last half decade, well in excess of the market return of around -75% (not including dividends). On the other hand, the more recent gains haven't been so impressive, with shareholders gaining just 10% , including dividends .
View our latest analysis for Karelia Tobacco
To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' 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.
During five years of share price growth, Karelia Tobacco achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 12% per year. This EPS growth is higher than the 6.9% average annual increase in the share price. So it seems the market isn't so enthusiastic about the stock these days. The reasonably low P/E ratio of 10.24 also suggests market apprehension.
You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).
This free interactive report on Karelia Tobacco's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.
What About Dividends?
As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of Karelia Tobacco, it has a TSR of 66% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!
A Different Perspective
Karelia Tobacco shareholders are up 10% for the year (even including dividends) . But that return falls short of the market. It's probably a good sign that the company has an even better long term track record, having provided shareholders with an annual TSR of 11% over five years. It's quite possible the business continues to execute with prowess, even as the share price gains are slowing. Keeping this in mind, a solid next step might be to take a look at Karelia Tobacco's dividend track record. This free interactive graph is a great place to start.