If You Had Bought Weyerhaeuser's (NYSE:WY) Shares Three Years Ago You Would Be Down 21%
While it may not be enough for some shareholders, we think it is good to see the Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE:WY) share price up 25% in a single quarter. But that doesn't help the fact that the three year return is less impressive. After all, the share price is down 21% in the last three years, significantly under-performing the market.
Check out our latest analysis for Weyerhaeuser
To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. 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 that the share price fell, Weyerhaeuser's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 8.6% each year. This fall in EPS isn't far from the rate of share price decline, which was 7.6% per year. That suggests that the market sentiment around the company hasn't changed much over that time, despite the disappointment. It seems like the share price is reflecting the declining earnings per share.
The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).
It's probably worth noting we've seen significant insider buying in the last quarter, which we consider a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..
What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?
Investors should note that there's a difference between Weyerhaeuser's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. Its history of dividend payouts mean that Weyerhaeuser's TSR, which was a 12% drop over the last 3 years, was not as bad as the share price return.
A Different Perspective
While the broader market gained around 16% in the last year, Weyerhaeuser shareholders lost 1.5%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 3.8% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Weyerhaeuser better, we need to consider many other factors. Take risks, for example - Weyerhaeuser has 2 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.
Weyerhaeuser is not the only stock that insiders are buying. 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. 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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
