Dicker Data's (ASX:DDR) 44% CAGR outpaced the company's earnings growth over the same five-year period
It hasn't been the best quarter for Dicker Data Limited (ASX:DDR) shareholders, since the share price has fallen 21% in that time. But that doesn't undermine the fantastic longer term performance (measured over five years). To be precise, the stock price is 384% higher than it was five years ago, a wonderful performance by any measure. So we don't think the recent decline in the share price means its story is a sad one. But the real question is whether the business fundamentals can improve over the long term.
Since it's been a strong week for Dicker Data shareholders, let's have a look at trend of the longer term fundamentals.
View our latest analysis for Dicker Data
While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. 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, Dicker Data managed to grow its earnings per share at 22% a year. This EPS growth is lower than the 37% average annual increase in the share price. This suggests that market participants hold the company in higher regard, these days. And that's hardly shocking given the track record of growth.
The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).
It's probably worth noting we've seen significant insider buying in the last quarter, which we consider a positive. On the other hand, we think the revenue and earnings trends are much more meaningful measures of the business. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..
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. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. As it happens, Dicker Data's TSR for the last 5 years was 518%, 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 Dicker Data shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 9.8% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. However, that falls short of the 44% TSR per annum it has made for shareholders, each year, over five years. The pessimistic view would be that be that the stock has its best days behind it, but on the other hand the price might simply be moderating while the business itself continues to execute. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Dicker Data better, we need to consider many other factors. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Dicker Data (of which 2 are potentially serious!) you should know about.
Dicker Data is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU 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.
