Yahoo Finance Quantum (NASDAQ:QMCO) shareholders have endured a 75% loss from investing in the stock a year ago
Quantum Corporation (NASDAQ:QMCO) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 21% in the last month. But that is meagre solace when you consider how the price has plummeted over the last year. During that time the share price has plummeted like a stone, down 75%. It's not uncommon to see a bounce after a drop like that. The bigger issue is whether the company can sustain the momentum in the long term.
It's worthwhile assessing if the company's economics have been moving in lockstep with these underwhelming shareholder returns, or if there is some disparity between the two. So let's do just that.
Check out our latest analysis for Quantum
Quantum 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. When a company doesn't make profits, we'd generally expect to see good revenue growth. That's because it's hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit.
Quantum grew its revenue by 6.7% over the last year. That's not a very high growth rate considering it doesn't make profits. Nonetheless, it's fair to say the 75% share price implosion is unexpected.. We'd venture this growth was too low to give holders confidence that profitability is on the horizon. If and only if this company is still likely to succeed, just a little slower, this could be a good opportunity.
The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).
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. If you are thinking of buying or selling Quantum stock, you should check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.
A Different Perspective
We regret to report that Quantum shareholders are down 75% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 16%. 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. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 12% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Quantum better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 6 warning signs with Quantum (at least 3 which don't sit too well with us) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
Quantum is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges.
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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.
