Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 14% in the last month. But that doesn't change the reality of under-performance over the last twelve months. In fact the stock is down 30% in the last year, well below the market return.

Since Vertiv Holdings Co has shed US$177m from its value in the past 7 days, let's see if the longer term decline has been driven by the business' economics.

View our latest analysis for Vertiv Holdings Co

To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Unhappily, Vertiv Holdings Co had to report a 52% decline in EPS over the last year. This fall in the EPS is significantly worse than the 30% the share price fall. So the market may not be too worried about the EPS figure, at the moment -- or it may have expected earnings to drop faster. With a P/E ratio of 73.63, it's fair to say the market sees an EPS rebound on the cards.

The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

It's probably worth noting we've seen significant insider buying in the last quarter, which we consider a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..

A Different Perspective

We doubt Vertiv Holdings Co shareholders are happy with the loss of 30% over twelve months (even including dividends). That falls short of the market, which lost 8.1%. That's disappointing, but it's worth keeping in mind that the market-wide selling wouldn't have helped. The share price decline has continued throughout the most recent three months, down 6.1%, suggesting an absence of enthusiasm from investors. Given the relatively short history of this stock, we'd remain pretty wary until we see some strong business performance. 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 Vertiv Holdings Co is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is a bit concerning...

Vertiv Holdings Co is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

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