Tronic’s Microsystems SA (EPA:ALTRO) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 11% in the last month. But that can’t change the reality that over the longer term (five years), the returns have been really quite dismal. In that time the share price has delivered a rude shock to holders, who find themselves down 60% after a long stretch. Some might say the recent bounce is to be expected after such a bad drop. However, in the best case scenario (far from fait accompli), this improved performance might be sustained.
View our latest analysis for Tronic’s Microsystems
Given that Tronic’s Microsystems didn’t make a profit in the last twelve months, we’ll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. That’s because it’s hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit.
Over half a decade Tronic’s Microsystems reduced its trailing twelve month revenue by 12% for each year. That’s definitely a weaker result than most pre-profit companies report. Arguably, the market has responded appropriately to this business performance by sending the share price down 17% (annualized) in the same time period. It’s fair to say most investors don’t like to invest in loss making companies with falling revenue. This looks like a really risky stock to buy, at a glance.
The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).
ENXTPA:ALTRO Income Statement, March 17th 2020
It’s probably worth noting that the CEO is paid less than the median at similar sized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. This free interactive report on Tronic’s Microsystems’s earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.
A Different Perspective
While the broader market lost about 25% in the twelve months, Tronic’s Microsystems shareholders did even worse, losing 37%. Having said that, it’s inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Unfortunately, last year’s performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 17% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should “buy when there is blood on the streets”, but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It’s always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Tronic’s Microsystems better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We’ve identified 5 warning signs with Tronic’s Microsystems (at least 3 which are a bit concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
If you would prefer to check out another company — one with potentially superior financials — then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on FR 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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