The Jinjian Cereals Industry Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:600127) share price has had a bad week, falling 10%. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last five years have been pleasing. Its return of 72% has certainly bested the market return!

While the stock has fallen 10% this week, it's worth focusing on the longer term and seeing if the stocks historical returns have been driven by the underlying fundamentals.

Given that Jinjian Cereals IndustryLtd only made minimal earnings in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue to gauge its business development. As a general rule, we think this kind of company is more comparable to loss-making stocks, since the actual profit is so low. For shareholders to have confidence a company will grow profits significantly, it must grow revenue.

In the last 5 years Jinjian Cereals IndustryLtd saw its revenue grow at 0.8% per year. Put simply, that growth rate fails to impress. While it's hard to say just how much value the company added over five years, the annualised share price gain of 11% seems about right. The business could be one worth watching but we generally prefer faster revenue growth.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

This free interactive report on Jinjian Cereals IndustryLtd's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

A Different Perspective

Investors in Jinjian Cereals IndustryLtd had a tough year, with a total loss of 6.6%, against a market gain of about 12%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 11% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Jinjian Cereals IndustryLtd better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Jinjian Cereals IndustryLtd (at least 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) , 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 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.