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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 on the bright side, you can make far more than 100% on a really good stock. One great example is Boise Cascade Company (NYSE:BCC) which saw its share price drive 194% higher over five years. It's down 3.8% in the last seven days.
Although Boise Cascade has shed US$146m from its market cap this week, let's take a look at its longer term fundamental trends and see if they've driven returns.
View our latest analysis for Boise Cascade
To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. 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).
Over half a decade, Boise Cascade managed to grow its earnings per share at 34% a year. This EPS growth is higher than the 24% average annual increase in the share price. Therefore, it seems the market has become relatively pessimistic about the company. The reasonably low P/E ratio of 6.41 also suggests market apprehension.
You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).
We know that Boise Cascade has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? Take a more thorough look at Boise Cascade's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet.
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. As it happens, Boise Cascade's TSR for the last 5 years was 285%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.
A Different Perspective
It's nice to see that Boise Cascade shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 70% over the last year. That's including the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 31% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Boise Cascade (at least 1 which can't be ignored) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.