The last three months have been tough on AOM International Group Company Limited (HKG:381) shareholders, who have seen the share price decline a rather worrying 45%. But over the last year the share price has taken off like one of Elon Musk's rockets. In that time, shareholders have had the pleasure of a 575% boost to the share price. So we wouldn't blame sellers for taking some profits. Only time will tell if there is still too much optimism currently reflected in the share price. It really delights us to see such great share price performance for investors.

While the stock has fallen 15% this week, it's worth focusing on the longer term and seeing if the stocks historical returns have been driven by the underlying fundamentals.

View our latest analysis for AOM International Group

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

During the last year AOM International Group saw its earnings per share (EPS) increase strongly. This remarkable growth rate may not be sustainable, but it is still impressive. So we're unsurprised to see the share price gaining ground. Strong growth like this can be evidence of a fundamental inflection point in the business, making it a good time to investigate the stock more closely.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on AOM International Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that AOM International Group shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 575% over the last year. That certainly beats the loss of about 14% 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. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks, for example - AOM International Group has 4 warning signs (and 3 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.

AOM International Group 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 Hong Kong exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.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.