For many, the main point of investing in the stock market is to achieve spectacular returns. While the best companies are hard to find, but they can generate massive returns over long periods. For example, the Mr. Cooper Group Inc. (NASDAQ:COOP) share price is up a whopping 984% in the last half decade, a handsome return for long term holders. And this is just one example of the epic gains achieved by some long term investors. On top of that, the share price is up 18% in about a quarter. We love happy stories like this one. The company should be really proud of that performance!

On the back of a solid 7-day performance, let's check what role the company's fundamentals have played in driving long term shareholder returns.

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).

During five years of share price growth, Mr. Cooper Group actually saw its EPS drop 11% per year.

Essentially, it doesn't seem likely that investors are focused on 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.

The revenue reduction of 1.2% per year is not a positive. So it seems one might have to take closer look at earnings and revenue trends to see how they might influence the share price.

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

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. You can see what analysts are predicting for Mr. Cooper Group in this interactive graph of future profit estimates.

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Mr. Cooper Group has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 56% in the last twelve months. However, the TSR over five years, coming in at 61% per year, is even more impressive. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Mr. Cooper Group better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Mr. Cooper Group (including 1 which is potentially serious) .

Mr. Cooper Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of small cap companies at attractive valuations which insiders have been buying.

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.

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