One simple way to benefit from the stock market is to buy an index fund. But if you pick the right individual stocks, you could make more than that. For example, the Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua Co., Ltd (SZSE:000637) share price is up 32% in the last three years, clearly besting the market return of around 16% (not including dividends).

Since it's been a strong week for Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua shareholders, let's have a look at trend of the longer term fundamentals.

Check out our latest analysis for Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua

To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

Over the last three years, Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua failed to grow earnings per share, which fell 20% (annualized).

Thus, it seems unlikely that the market is focussed on EPS growth at the moment. Since the change in EPS doesn't seem to correlate with the change in share price, it's worth taking a look at other metrics.

It could be that the revenue growth of 20% per year is viewed as evidence that Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua is growing. If the company is being managed for the long term good, today's shareholders might be right to hold on.

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

If you are thinking of buying or selling Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua stock, you should check out this FREE detailed report on its balance sheet.

What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua's TSR of 35% for the 3 years exceeded its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 32% in the last twelve months. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 1.2% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Maoming Petro-Chemical Shihua you should be aware of.

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 CN 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.