Yahoo Finance Methanex (TSE:MX) pulls back 5.2% this week, but still delivers shareholders 20% return over 1 year
Methanex Corporation (TSE:MX) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 29% in the last quarter. While that might be a setback, it doesn't negate the nice returns received over the last twelve months. To wit, it had solidly beat the market, up 18%.
While this past week has detracted from the company's one-year return, let's look at the recent trends of the underlying business and see if the gains have been in alignment.
Check out our latest analysis for Methanex
To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. 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).
Methanex went from making a loss to reporting a profit, in the last year.
When a company has just transitioned to profitability, earnings per share growth is not always the best way to look at the share price action.
We doubt the modest 1.5% dividend yield is doing much to support the share price. We think that the revenue growth of 57% could have some investors interested. Many businesses do go through a phase where they have to forgo some profits to drive business development, and sometimes its for the best.
You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).
It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on Methanex
A Different Perspective
It's nice to see that Methanex shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 20% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. There's no doubt those recent returns are much better than the TSR loss of 0.2% per year over five years. This makes us a little wary, but the business might have turned around its fortunes. 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. Take risks, for example - Methanex has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about.
Methanex 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 CA exchanges.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.
