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The worst result, after buying shares in a company (assuming no leverage), would be if you lose all the money you put in. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. One great example is Sonata Software Limited (NSE:SONATSOFTW) which saw its share price drive 124% higher over five years.
View our latest analysis for Sonata Software
In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.
During five years of share price growth, Sonata Software achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 20% per year. So the EPS growth rate is rather close to the annualized share price gain of 18% per year. That suggests that the market sentiment around the company hasn't changed much over that time. In fact, the share price seems to largely reflect the EPS growth.
The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).
We know that Sonata Software has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? Check if analysts think Sonata Software will grow revenue in the future.
What About Dividends?
It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. We note that for Sonata Software the TSR over the last 5 years was 180%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!
A Different Perspective
Sonata Software shareholders gained a total return of 4.7% during the year. But that return falls short of the market. On the bright side, the longer term returns (running at about 23% a year, over half a decade) look better. Maybe the share price is just taking a breather while the business executes on its growth strategy. Before forming an opinion on Sonata Software you might want to consider the cold hard cash it pays as a dividend. This free chart tracks its dividend over time.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.