AxoGen (NASDAQ:AXGN) investors are sitting on a loss of 59% if they invested three years ago

If you are building a properly diversified stock portfolio, the chances are some of your picks will perform badly. But the long term shareholders of AxoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXGN) have had an unfortunate run in the last three years. Unfortunately, they have held through a 59% decline in the share price in that time. Furthermore, it's down 31% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders.

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.

See our latest analysis for AxoGen

AxoGen wasn't profitable in the last twelve months, it is unlikely we'll see a strong correlation between its share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Arguably revenue is our next best option. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size.

Over three years, AxoGen grew revenue at 16% per year. That's a pretty good rate of top-line growth. That contrasts with the weak share price, which has fallen 17% compounded, over three years. The market must have had really high expectations to be disappointed with this progress. It would be well worth taking a closer look at the company, to determine growth trends (and balance sheet strength).

You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

earnings-and-revenue-growth

Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

A Different Perspective

AxoGen shareholders gained a total return of 0.8% during the year. But that return falls short of the market. If we look back over five years, the returns are even better, coming in at 9% per year for five years. It's quite possible the business continues to execute with prowess, even as the share price gains are slowing. 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. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for AxoGen that you should be aware of before investing here.

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. 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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