Over the last month the Motorcar Parts of America, Inc. (NASDAQ:MPAA) has been much stronger than before, rebounding by 61%. But that doesn't help the fact that the three year return is less impressive. Truth be told the share price declined 41% in three years and that return, Dear Reader, falls short of what you could have got from passive investing with an index fund.

If the past week is anything to go by, investor sentiment for Motorcar Parts of America isn't positive, so let's see if there's a mismatch between fundamentals and the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Motorcar Parts of America

Motorcar Parts of America 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. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually desire strong revenue growth. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.

Over three years, Motorcar Parts of America grew revenue at 5.1% per year. That's not a very high growth rate considering it doesn't make profits. Indeed, the stock dropped 12% over the last three years. If revenue growth accelerates, we might see the share price bounce. But the real upside for shareholders will be if the company can start generating profits.

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

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. You can see what analysts are predicting for Motorcar Parts of America in this interactive graph of future profit estimates.

A Different Perspective

Motorcar Parts of America shareholders gained a total return of 13% during the year. Unfortunately this falls short of the market return. But at least that's still a gain! Over five years the TSR has been a reduction of 6% per year, over five years. So this might be a sign the business has turned its fortunes around. 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. Like risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Motorcar Parts of America (of which 1 is a bit unpleasant!) you should know about.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: most of them are flying under the radar).

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.