Generally speaking long term investing is the way to go. But along the way some stocks are going to perform badly. For example the 5i5j Holding Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE:000560) share price dropped 70% over five years. That's not a lot of fun for true believers. And some of the more recent buyers are probably worried, too, with the stock falling 45% in the last year. Furthermore, it's down 28% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders.

After losing 9.0% this past week, it's worth investigating the company's fundamentals to see what we can infer from past performance.

Because 5i5j Holding Group made a loss in the last twelve months, we think the market is probably more focussed on revenue and revenue growth, at least for now. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because it's hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit.

Over five years, 5i5j Holding Group grew its revenue at 4.0% per year. That's not a very high growth rate considering it doesn't make profits. It's not so sure that share price crash of 11% per year is completely deserved, but the market is doubtless disappointed. While we're definitely wary of the stock, after that kind of performance, it could be an over-reaction. We'd recommend focussing any further research on the likelihood of profitability in the foreseeable future, given the muted revenue growth.

You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

This free interactive report on 5i5j Holding Group's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 14% in the twelve months, 5i5j Holding Group shareholders did even worse, losing 45%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 11% 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. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand 5i5j Holding Group better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for 5i5j Holding Group you should be aware of.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

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

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.