Yahoo Finance Manhattan Bridge Capital (NASDAQ:LOAN) shareholders have endured a 13% loss from investing in the stock a year ago
Investors can earn very close to the average market return by buying an index fund. By comparison, an individual stock is unlikely to match market returns - and could well fall short. One such example is Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOAN), which saw its share price fall 20% over a year, against a market decline of 12%. However, the longer term returns haven't been so bad, with the stock down 12% in the last three years. More recently, the share price has dropped a further 8.5% in a month. But this could be related to poor market conditions -- stocks are down 11% in the same time.
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 Manhattan Bridge Capital
While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.
Unhappily, Manhattan Bridge Capital had to report a 3.9% decline in EPS over the last year. The share price decline of 20% is actually more than the EPS drop. So it seems the market was too confident about the business, a year ago.
The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).
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. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Manhattan Bridge Capital's earnings, revenue and cash flow.
What About Dividends?
It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. 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. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. We note that for Manhattan Bridge Capital the TSR over the last 1 year was -13%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!
A Different Perspective
We regret to report that Manhattan Bridge Capital shareholders are down 13% for the year (even including dividends). Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 12%. 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. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 8%, each year, over five years. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks, for example - Manhattan Bridge Capital has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about.
We will like Manhattan Bridge Capital better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.
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.
