Yahoo Finance Volatility 101: Should Union Jack Oil (LON:UJO) Shares Have Dropped 36%?
For many, the main point of investing is to generate higher returns than the overall market. But the main game is to find enough winners to more than offset the losers So we wouldn't blame long term Union Jack Oil plc (LON:UJO) shareholders for doubting their decision to hold, with the stock down 36% over a half decade. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 21% in the last 90 days. Of course, this share price action may well have been influenced by the 21% decline in the broader market, throughout the period.
View our latest analysis for Union Jack Oil
With just UK£136,959 worth of revenue in twelve months, we don't think the market considers Union Jack Oil to have proven its business plan. We can't help wondering why it's publicly listed so early in its journey. Are venture capitalists not interested? So it seems that the investors focused more on what could be, than paying attention to the current revenues (or lack thereof). For example, they may be hoping that Union Jack Oil finds fossil fuels with an exploration program, before it runs out of money.
Companies that lack both meaningful revenue and profits are usually considered high risk. You should be aware that there is always a chance that this sort of company will need to issue more shares to raise money to continue pursuing its business plan. While some such companies do very well over the long term, others become hyped up by promoters before eventually falling back down to earth, and going bankrupt (or being recapitalized).
Union Jack Oil had cash in excess of all liabilities of UK£5.8m when it last reported (December 2019). While that's nothing to panic about, there is some possibility the company will raise more capital, especially if profits are not imminent. With the share price down 8.5% per year, over 5 years , it seems likely that the need for cash is weighing on investors' minds. The image below shows how Union Jack Oil's balance sheet has changed over time; if you want to see the precise values, simply click on the image.
In reality it's hard to have much certainty when valuing a business that has neither revenue or profit. What if insiders are ditching the stock hand over fist? I'd like that just about as much as I like to drink milk and fruit juice mixed together. It costs nothing but a moment of your time to see if we are picking up on any insider selling.
A Different Perspective
It's good to see that Union Jack Oil has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 12% in the last twelve months. That certainly beats the loss of about 8.5% per year over the last half decade. We generally put more weight on the long term performance over the short term, but the recent improvement could hint at a (positive) inflection point within the business. 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 - Union Jack Oil has 5 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.
If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on GB exchanges.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
