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The Mitchell Services (ASX:MSV) Share Price Is Up 244% And Shareholders Are Boasting About It

The most you can lose on any stock (assuming you don't use leverage) is 100% of your money. But in contrast you can make much more than 100% if the company does well. For example, the Mitchell Services Limited (ASX:MSV) share price has soared 244% in the last three years. That sort of return is as solid as granite. On top of that, the share price is up 38% in about a quarter.

See our latest analysis for Mitchell Services

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

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Mitchell Services became profitable within the last three years. Given the importance of this milestone, it's not overly surprising that the share price has increased strongly.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

ASX:MSV Past and Future Earnings, April 27th 2019
ASX:MSV Past and Future Earnings, April 27th 2019

It is of course excellent to see how Mitchell Services has grown profits over the years, but the future is more important for shareholders. If you are thinking of buying or selling Mitchell Services stock, you should check out this FREE detailed report on its balance sheet.

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

Investors should note that there's a difference between Mitchell Services's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. 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. Mitchell Services hasn't been paying dividends, but its TSR of 251% exceeds its share price return of 244%, implying it has either spun-off a business, or raised capital at a discount; thereby providing additional value to shareholders.

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Mitchell Services shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 63% over the last year. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 19% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. If you would like to research Mitchell Services in more detail then you might want to take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in the company.

We will like Mitchell Services 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 AU exchanges.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.