It hasn't been the best quarter for Hiconics Eco-energy Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300048) shareholders, since the share price has fallen 14% in that time. Looking further back, the stock has generated good profits over five years. Its return of 83% has certainly bested the market return! While the long term returns are impressive, we do have some sympathy for those who bought more recently, given the 19% drop, in the last year.

The past week has proven to be lucrative for Hiconics Eco-energy Technology investors, so let's see if fundamentals drove the company's five-year performance.

Given that Hiconics Eco-energy Technology 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. When a company doesn't make profits, we'd generally hope to see good revenue growth. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one would hope for good top-line growth to make up for the lack of earnings.

In the last 5 years Hiconics Eco-energy Technology saw its revenue grow at 6.6% per year. That's a fairly respectable growth rate. While the share price has beat the market, compounding at 13% yearly, over five years, there's certainly some potential that the market hasn't fully considered the growth track record. The key question is whether revenue growth will slow down, and if so, how quickly. There's no doubt that it can be difficult to value pre-profit companies.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 18% in the twelve months, Hiconics Eco-energy Technology shareholders did even worse, losing 19%. 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. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 13% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. You could get a better understanding of Hiconics Eco-energy Technology's growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of undervalued companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

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

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com