When you buy a stock there is always a possibility that it could drop 100%. But on the bright side, if you buy shares in a high quality company at the right price, you can gain well over 100%. One great example is RBC Bearings Incorporated (NASDAQ:ROLL) which saw its share price drive 131% higher over five years. Also pleasing for shareholders was the 57% gain in the last three months. The company reported its financial results recently; you can catch up on the latest numbers by reading our company report.
So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.
Check out our latest analysis for RBC Bearings
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.
RBC Bearings' earnings per share are down 7.6% per year, despite strong share price performance over five years.
This means it's unlikely the market is judging the company based on earnings growth. Because earnings per share don't seem to match up with the share price, we'll take a look at other metrics instead.
On the other hand, RBC Bearings' revenue is growing nicely, at a compound rate of 5.1% over the last five years. In that case, the company may be sacrificing current earnings per share to drive growth.
You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).
If you are thinking of buying or selling RBC Bearings stock, you should check out this FREE detailed report on its balance sheet.
A Different Perspective
We're pleased to report that RBC Bearings shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 8.2% over one year. Having said that, the five-year TSR of 18% a year, is even better. Potential buyers might understandably feel they've missed the opportunity, but it's always possible business is still firing on all cylinders. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 5 warning signs with RBC Bearings (at least 1 which is significant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.