Yahoo Finance Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) jumps 4.7% this week, though earnings growth is still tracking behind three-year shareholder returns
One simple way to benefit from the stock market is to buy an index fund. But if you choose individual stocks with prowess, you can make superior returns. Just take a look at Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA), which is up 18%, over three years, soundly beating the market decline of 0.2% (not including dividends). On the other hand, the returns haven't been quite so good recently, with shareholders up just 2.2% , including dividends .
Since the stock has added AU$7.4b to its market cap in the past week alone, let's see if underlying performance has been driving long-term returns.
Check out our latest analysis for Commonwealth Bank of Australia
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. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.
During three years of share price growth, Commonwealth Bank of Australia achieved compound earnings per share growth of 4.6% per year. We don't think it is entirely coincidental that the EPS growth is reasonably close to the 6% average annual increase in the share price. This observation indicates that the market's attitude to the business hasn't changed all that much. Rather, the share price has approximately tracked EPS growth.
The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).
We know that Commonwealth Bank of Australia has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? If you're interested, you could check this free report showing consensus revenue forecasts.
What About Dividends?
When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. 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. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, it has a TSR of 33% for the last 3 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence!
A Different Perspective
It's good to see that Commonwealth Bank of Australia has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 2.2% in the last twelve months. And that does include the dividend. Having said that, the five-year TSR of 8% a year, is even better. Potential buyers might understandably feel they've missed the opportunity, but it's always possible business is still firing on all cylinders. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Commonwealth Bank of Australia better, we need to consider many other factors. Even so, be aware that Commonwealth Bank of Australia is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.
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.
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