Investors five-year losses grow to 74% as the stock sheds US$500m this past week
Some stocks are best avoided. It hits us in the gut when we see fellow investors suffer a loss. Spare a thought for those who held American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) for five whole years - as the share price tanked 75%. And we doubt long term believers are the only worried holders, since the stock price has declined 39% over the last twelve months. Furthermore, it's down 28% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders. However, one could argue that the price has been influenced by the general market, which is down 17% in the same timeframe.
After losing 5.5% this past week, it's worth investigating the company's fundamentals to see what we can infer from past performance.
See our latest analysis for American Airlines Group
Given that American Airlines Group didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because it's hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit.
In the last five years American Airlines Group saw its revenue shrink by 13% per year. That puts it in an unattractive cohort, to put it mildly. So it's not that strange that the share price dropped 12% per year in that period. We don't think this is a particularly promising picture. Of course, the poor performance could mean the market has been too severe selling down. That can happen.
The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil 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. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on American Airlines Group
A Different Perspective
While the broader market lost about 20% in the twelve months, American Airlines Group shareholders did even worse, losing 39%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 12% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. 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. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for American Airlines Group (2 make us uncomfortable) that you should be aware of.
But note: American Airlines Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US 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.
