Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,022.70
    +28.50 (+0.36%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,749.00
    +27.40 (+0.35%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6604
    -0.0017 (-0.26%)
     
  • OIL

    78.20
    -1.06 (-1.34%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,366.90
    +26.60 (+1.14%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    91,905.12
    -3,027.10 (-3.19%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,258.09
    -99.92 (-7.36%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6128
    -0.0010 (-0.16%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.0963
    -0.0006 (-0.05%)
     
  • NZX 50

    11,755.17
    +8.59 (+0.07%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,161.18
    +47.72 (+0.26%)
     
  • FTSE

    8,433.76
    +52.41 (+0.63%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,512.84
    +125.08 (+0.32%)
     
  • DAX

    18,772.85
    +86.25 (+0.46%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    18,963.68
    +425.87 (+2.30%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    38,229.11
    +155.13 (+0.41%)
     

Optiscan Imaging (ASX:OIL) hikes 43% this week, taking three-year gains to 186%

The most you can lose on any stock (assuming you don't use leverage) is 100% of your money. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. For example, the Optiscan Imaging Limited (ASX:OIL) share price has soared 186% in the last three years. Most would be happy with that. It's even up 43% in the last week.

Since the stock has added AU$26m to its market cap in the past week alone, let's see if underlying performance has been driving long-term returns.

View our latest analysis for Optiscan Imaging

Given that Optiscan Imaging didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth.

ADVERTISEMENT

Optiscan Imaging's revenue trended up 16% each year over three years. That's pretty nice growth. It's fair to say that the market has acknowledged the growth by pushing the share price up 42% per year. It's hard to value pre-profit businesses, but it seems like the market has become a lot more optimistic about this one! Some investors like to buy in just after a company becomes profitable, since that can be a powerful inflexion point.

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
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. Dive deeper into the earnings by checking this interactive graph of Optiscan Imaging's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Optiscan Imaging shareholders are down 32% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 4.0%. 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. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 8% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. 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. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Optiscan Imaging you should know about.

Optiscan Imaging 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.

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.

Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here