Changjiang Publishing & Media Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600757) shareholders have seen the share price descend 12% over the month. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last three years have been pleasing. After all, the share price is up a market-beating 61% in that time.

Since the long term performance has been good but there's been a recent pullback of 3.9%, let's check if the fundamentals match the share price.

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. 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.

Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd was able to grow its EPS at 1.5% per year over three years, sending the share price higher. This EPS growth is lower than the 17% average annual increase in the share price. This indicates that the market is feeling more optimistic on the stock, after the last few years of progress. That's not necessarily surprising considering the three-year track record of earnings growth.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

This free interactive report on Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). 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 Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd the TSR over the last 3 years was 88%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 13% over one year. That's including the dividend. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 12%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd .

But note: Changjiang Publishing & MediaLtd may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

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.