Over the last month the Exscientia plc (NASDAQ:EXAI) has been much stronger than before, rebounding by 53%. But that doesn't change the reality of under-performance over the last twelve months. The cold reality is that the stock has dropped 48% in one year, under-performing the market.

The recent uptick of 31% could be a positive sign of things to come, so let's take a look at historical fundamentals.

See our latest analysis for Exscientia

Exscientia 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. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth.

In just one year Exscientia saw its revenue fall by 9.6%. That looks pretty grim, at a glance. Shareholders have seen the share price drop 48% in that time. That seems pretty reasonable given the lack of both profits and revenue growth. It's hard to escape the conclusion that buyers must envision either growth down the track, cost cutting, or both.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

A Different Perspective

We doubt Exscientia shareholders are happy with the loss of 48% over twelve months. That falls short of the market, which lost 7.0%. There's no doubt that's a disappointment, but the stock may well have fared better in a stronger market. It's great to see a nice little 26% rebound in the last three months. Let's just hope this isn't the widely-feared 'dead cat bounce' (which would indicate further declines to come). It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Exscientia better, we need to consider many other factors. Even so, be aware that Exscientia is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those shouldn't be ignored...

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.

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