International Consolidated Airlines Group (LON:IAG) shareholders have endured a 63% loss from investing in the stock five years ago
While it may not be enough for some shareholders, we think it is good to see the International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (LON:IAG) share price up 21% in a single quarter. But don't envy holders -- looking back over 5 years the returns have been really bad. The share price has failed to impress anyone , down a sizable 79% during that time. So we're hesitant to put much weight behind the short term increase. We'd err towards caution given the long term under-performance.
So let's have a look and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.
Check out our latest analysis for International Consolidated Airlines Group
International Consolidated Airlines Group isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.
In the last five years International Consolidated Airlines Group saw its revenue shrink by 19% per year. That's definitely a weaker result than most pre-profit companies report. So it's not altogether surprising to see the share price down 12% per year in the same time period. We don't think this is a particularly promising picture. Ironically, that behavior could create an opportunity for the contrarian investor - but only if there are good reasons to predict a brighter future.
You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).
We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. It's always worth keeping an eye on CEO pay, but a more important question is whether the company will grow earnings throughout the years. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on International Consolidated Airlines Group
What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?
We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between International Consolidated Airlines Group's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Its history of dividend payouts mean that International Consolidated Airlines Group's TSR, which was a 63% drop over the last 5 years, was not as bad as the share price return.
A Different Perspective
While it's certainly disappointing to see that International Consolidated Airlines Group shares lost 2.5% throughout the year, that wasn't as bad as the market loss of 5.2%. Of far more concern is the 10% p.a. loss served to shareholders over the last five years. While the losses are slowing we doubt many shareholders are happy with the stock. Shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
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.
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on GB 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.
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