KVH Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:KVHI) shareholders will doubtless be very grateful to see the share price up 33% in the last quarter. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last five years have been less than pleasing. After all, the share price is down 45% in that time, significantly under-performing the market.

Since shareholders are down over the longer term, lets look at the underlying fundamentals over the that time and see if they've been consistent with returns.

See our latest analysis for KVH Industries

Because KVH Industries made a loss in the last twelve months, we think the market is probably more focussed on revenue and revenue growth, at least for now. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually desire strong revenue growth. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size.

Over half a decade KVH Industries reduced its trailing twelve month revenue by 5.3% for each year. While far from catastrophic that is not good. The stock hasn't done well for shareholders in the last five years, falling 8%, annualized. But it doesn't surprise given the falling revenue. It might be worth watching for signs of a turnaround - buyers are probably expecting one.

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

It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. If you are thinking of buying or selling KVH Industries stock, you should check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

A Different Perspective

KVH Industries shareholders have received returns of 26% over twelve months, which isn't far from the general market return. To take a positive view, the gain is pleasing, and it sure beats annualized TSR loss of 8%, which was endured over half a decade. While 'turnarounds seldom turn' there are green shoots for KVH Industries. 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. Even so, be aware that KVH Industries is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

KVH Industries is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of small cap companies at attractive valuations which insiders have been buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American 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.