Did Business Growth Power Workhorse Group's (NASDAQ:WKHS) Share Price Gain of 203%?

Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ:WKHS) shareholders might understandably be very concerned that the share price has dropped 79% in the last quarter. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last three years have been very strong. In three years the stock price has launched 203% higher: a great result. After a run like that some may not be surprised to see prices moderate. Only time will tell if there is still too much optimism currently reflected in the share price.

See our latest analysis for Workhorse Group

Workhorse Group isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.

Workhorse Group actually saw its revenue drop by 97% per year over three years. So we wouldn't have expected the share price to gain 45% per year, but it has. It's a good reminder that expectations about the future, not the past history, always impact share prices.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

earnings-and-revenue-growth

We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. It's always worth keeping an eye on CEO pay, but a more important question is whether the company will grow earnings throughout the years. So we recommend checking out this free report showing consensus forecasts

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Workhorse Group shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 194% over one year. That's better than the annualised return of 4% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better 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. Take risks, for example - Workhorse Group has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about.

Of course Workhorse Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

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. 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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