The Xuchang Yuandong Drive Shaft Co.Ltd (SZSE:002406) share price has had a bad week, falling 11%. But that doesn't change the reality that over twelve months the stock has done really well. After all, the share price is up a market-beating 34% in that time.

In light of the stock dropping 11% in the past week, we want to investigate the longer term story, and see if fundamentals have been the driver of the company's positive one-year return.

View our latest analysis for Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Over the last twelve months, Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd actually shrank its EPS by 23%.

So we don't think that investors are paying too much attention to EPS. 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.

We are skeptical of the suggestion that the 1.6% dividend yield would entice buyers to the stock. Unfortunately Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd's fell 13% over twelve months. So the fundamental metrics don't provide an obvious explanation for the share price gain.

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

If you are thinking of buying or selling Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd stock, you should check out this FREE detailed report on its balance sheet.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd the TSR over the last 1 year was 36%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 36% over one year. That's including the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 6% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd (2 are a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

We will like Xuchang Yuandong Drive ShaftLtd better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies 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 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.