Nexstar Media Group (NASDAQ:NXST) stock performs better than its underlying earnings growth over last five 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 on the bright side, if you buy shares in a high quality company at the right price, you can gain well over 100%. One great example is Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NXST) which saw its share price drive 154% higher over five years. And in the last month, the share price has gained 11%. But the price may well have benefitted from a buoyant market, since stocks have gained 9.1% in the last thirty days.
On the back of a solid 7-day performance, let's check what role the company's fundamentals have played in driving long term shareholder returns.
See our latest analysis for Nexstar Media Group
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).
During five years of share price growth, Nexstar Media Group achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 58% per year. This EPS growth is higher than the 20% average annual increase in the share price. Therefore, it seems the market has become relatively pessimistic about the company. This cautious sentiment is reflected in its (fairly low) P/E ratio of 6.70.
The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).
We know that Nexstar Media Group has improved its bottom line over the last three years, but what does the future have in store? It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.
What About Dividends?
As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). 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. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Nexstar Media Group's TSR for the last 5 years was 182%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.
A Different Perspective
We're pleased to report that Nexstar Media Group shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 22% over one year. And that does include the dividend. Having said that, the five-year TSR of 23% a year, is even better. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Nexstar Media Group better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Nexstar Media Group (including 1 which can't be ignored) .
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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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