Investors in Manhattan Associates (NASDAQ:MANH) have made a splendid return of 185% over the past three years
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%. For instance the Manhattan Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ:MANH) share price is 185% higher than it was three years ago. Most would be happy with that. It's also good to see the share price up 21% over the last quarter.
With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies.
View our latest analysis for Manhattan Associates
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 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 the three years of share price growth, Manhattan Associates actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) drop 0.6% per year.
Companies are not always focussed on EPS growth in the short term, and looking at how the share price has reacted, we don't think EPS is the most important metric for Manhattan Associates at the moment. Therefore, it makes sense to look into other metrics.
We severely doubt anyone is particularly impressed with the modest 2.4% three-year revenue growth rate. While we don't have an obvious theory to explain the share price rise, a closer look at the data might be enlightening.
The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).
We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. If you are thinking of buying or selling Manhattan Associates stock, you should check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.
A Different Perspective
We're pleased to report that Manhattan Associates shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 78% over one year. That's better than the annualised return of 23% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. 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 Manhattan Associates better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Manhattan Associates you should know about.
For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges.
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.
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