While it may not be enough for some shareholders, we think it is good to see the LiveRamp Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RAMP) share price up 23% in a single quarter. But if you look at the last five years the returns have not been good. In fact, the share price is down 34%, which falls well short of the return you could get by buying an index fund.

While the last five years has been tough for LiveRamp Holdings shareholders, this past week has shown signs of promise. So let's look at the longer term fundamentals and see if they've been the driver of the negative returns.

We don't think that LiveRamp Holdings' modest trailing twelve month profit has the market's full attention at the moment. We think revenue is probably a better guide. 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.

Over five years, LiveRamp Holdings grew its revenue at 14% per year. That's a fairly respectable growth rate. Shareholders have seen the share price fall at 6% per year, for five years: a poor performance. Those who bought back then clearly believed in stronger growth - and maybe even profits. The lesson is that if you buy shares in a money losing company you could end up losing money.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

We know that LiveRamp Holdings has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

A Different Perspective

LiveRamp Holdings shareholders are down 8.1% for the year, but the market itself is up 30%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 6% per year over five years. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with LiveRamp Holdings , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

We will like LiveRamp Holdings better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of undervalued stocks (mostly small caps) with considerable, recent, insider buying.

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