Unless you borrow money to invest, the potential losses are limited. On the other hand, if you find a high quality business to buy (at the right price) you can more than double your money! For example, the Autolus Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:AUTL) share price has soared 266% in the last 1 year. Most would be very happy with that, especially in just one year! On top of that, the share price is up 185% in about a quarter. On the other hand, longer term shareholders have had a tougher run, with the stock falling 26% in three years.

The past week has proven to be lucrative for Autolus Therapeutics investors, so let's see if fundamentals drove the company's one-year performance.

Check out our latest analysis for Autolus Therapeutics

Given that Autolus Therapeutics 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. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.

Over the last twelve months, Autolus Therapeutics' revenue grew by 103%. That's a head and shoulders above most loss-making companies. Meanwhile, the market has paid attention, sending the share price soaring 266% in response. That sort of revenue growth is bound to attract attention, even if the company doesn't turn a profit. The strong share price rise indicates optimism, so there may be a better opportunity for buyers as the hype fades a bit.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Autolus Therapeutics shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 266% over the last year. There's no doubt those recent returns are much better than the TSR loss of 13% per year over five years. The long term loss makes us cautious, but the short term TSR gain certainly hints at a brighter future. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Autolus Therapeutics better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Autolus Therapeutics that you should be aware of before investing here.

But note: Autolus Therapeutics may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

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.