It hasn't been the best quarter for Sichuan Hongda Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600331) shareholders, since the share price has fallen 13% in that time. But that doesn't change the fact that shareholders have received really good returns over the last five years. We think most investors would be happy with the 113% return, over that period. We think it's more important to dwell on the long term returns than the short term returns. The more important question is whether the stock is too cheap or too expensive today.

Since it's been a strong week for Sichuan HongdaLtd shareholders, let's have a look at trend of the longer term fundamentals.

Given that Sichuan HongdaLtd didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually desire 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.

For the last half decade, Sichuan HongdaLtd can boast revenue growth at a rate of 10% per year. That's a fairly respectable growth rate. We'd argue this growth has been reflected in the share price which has climbed at a rate of 16% per year over in that time. It's well worth monitoring the growth trend in revenue, because if growth accelerates, that might signal an opportunity. When a growth trend accelerates, be it in revenue or earnings, it can indicate an inflection point for the business, which is can often be an opportunity for investors.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

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

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Sichuan HongdaLtd shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 59% over one year. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 16% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. You could get a better understanding of Sichuan HongdaLtd's growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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 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.