Those who invested in iCollege (ASX:ICT) a year ago are up 62%

These days it's easy to simply buy an index fund, and your returns should (roughly) match the market. But investors can boost returns by picking market-beating companies to own shares in. For example, the iCollege Limited (ASX:ICT) share price is up 62% in the last 1 year, clearly besting the market return of around 28% (not including dividends). If it can keep that out-performance up over the long term, investors will do very well! Also impressive, the stock is up 60% over three years, making long term shareholders happy, too.

So let's investigate and see if the longer term performance of the company has been in line with the underlying business' progress.

See our latest analysis for iCollege

Given that iCollege only made minimal earnings in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue to gauge its business development. As a general rule, we think this kind of company is more comparable to loss-making stocks, since the actual profit is so low. It would be hard to believe in a more profitable future without growing revenues.

iCollege grew its revenue by 51% last year. That's stonking growth even when compared to other loss-making stocks. The solid 62% share price gain goes down pretty well, but it's not necessarily as good as you might expect given the top notch revenue growth. If that's the case, now might be the time to take a close look at iCollege. Since we evolved from monkeys, we think in linear terms by nature. So if growth goes exponential, opportunity may exist for the enlightened.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

earnings-and-revenue-growth

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. This free interactive report on iCollege's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that iCollege rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 62% over the last year. That gain actually surpasses the 17% TSR it generated (per year) over three years. The improving returns to shareholders suggests the stock is becoming more popular with time. 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. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for iCollege you should be aware of, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored.

iCollege 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 AU exchanges.

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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