Alphatec Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATEC) shareholders will doubtless be very grateful to see the share price up 42% in the last quarter. But in truth the last year hasn't been good for the share price. In fact, the price has declined 39% in a year, falling short of the returns you could get by investing in an index fund.

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

See our latest analysis for Alphatec Holdings

Alphatec Holdings 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. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size.

In the last twelve months, Alphatec Holdings increased its revenue by 27%. That's definitely a respectable growth rate. Meanwhile, the share price is down 39% over twelve months, which is disappointing given the progress made. You might even wonder if the share price was previously over-hyped. However, that's in the past now, and it's the future that matters most.

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. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think Alphatec Holdings will earn in the future (free profit forecasts).

A Different Perspective

Alphatec Holdings shareholders are down 39% for the year, but the market itself is up 26%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Longer term investors wouldn't be so upset, since they would have made 4%, each year, over five years. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. 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. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Alphatec Holdings that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.