It's easy to match the overall market return by buying an index fund. Active investors aim to buy stocks that vastly outperform the market - but in the process, they risk under-performance. Investors in YTO Express Group Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:600233) have tasted that bitter downside in the last year, as the share price dropped 28%. That falls noticeably short of the market decline of around 5.9%. On the bright side, the stock is actually up 5.1% in the last three years. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 12% in the last three months. Of course, this share price action may well have been influenced by the 8.6% decline in the broader market, throughout the period.

With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.

View our latest analysis for YTO Express GroupLtd

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

Unfortunately YTO Express GroupLtd reported an EPS drop of 5.0% for the last year. This reduction in EPS is not as bad as the 28% share price fall. Unsurprisingly, given the lack of EPS growth, the market seems to be more cautious about the stock.

The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

Dive deeper into YTO Express GroupLtd's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of YTO Express GroupLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 5.9% in the twelve months, YTO Express GroupLtd shareholders did even worse, losing 27% (even including dividends). However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 6% 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. 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. Take risks, for example - YTO Express GroupLtd has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

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.