Advertisement
UK markets close in 6 hours 20 minutes
  • FTSE 100

    7,971.60
    +39.62 (+0.50%)
     
  • FTSE 250

    19,826.69
    +16.03 (+0.08%)
     
  • AIM

    741.90
    -0.21 (-0.03%)
     
  • GBP/EUR

    1.1690
    +0.0021 (+0.18%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2603
    -0.0035 (-0.28%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    56,045.98
    +548.25 (+0.99%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,248.49
    +44.91 (+0.86%)
     
  • DOW

    39,760.08
    +477.75 (+1.22%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    81.95
    +0.60 (+0.74%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,218.00
    +5.30 (+0.24%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • DAX

    18,502.95
    +25.86 (+0.14%)
     
  • CAC 40

    8,249.75
    +44.94 (+0.55%)
     

If You Had Bought Clovis Oncology's (NASDAQ:CLVS) Shares Three Years Ago You Would Be Down 88%

As an investor, mistakes are inevitable. But really big losses can really drag down an overall portfolio. So take a moment to sympathize with the long term shareholders of Clovis Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLVS), who have seen the share price tank a massive 88% over a three year period. That might cause some serious doubts about the merits of the initial decision to buy the stock, to put it mildly. And more recent buyers are having a tough time too, with a drop of 34% in the last year. Furthermore, it's down 39% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders.

While a drop like that is definitely a body blow, money isn't as important as health and happiness.

Check out our latest analysis for Clovis Oncology

Given that Clovis Oncology 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. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.

ADVERTISEMENT

Over three years, Clovis Oncology grew revenue at 34% per year. That is faster than most pre-profit companies. So why has the share priced crashed 23% per year, in the same time? The share price makes us wonder if there is an issue with profitability. Ultimately, revenue growth doesn't amount to much if the business can't scale well. Unless the balance sheet is strong, the company might have to raise capital.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

earnings-and-revenue-growth
earnings-and-revenue-growth

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 54% in the last year, Clovis Oncology shareholders lost 34%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 9% per year over five years. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 6 warning signs for Clovis Oncology (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Of course Clovis Oncology 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.