The worst result, after buying shares in a company (assuming no leverage), would be if you lose all the money you put in. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. For instance the Great Chinasoft Technology Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:002453) share price is 136% higher than it was three years ago. That sort of return is as solid as granite. And in the last week the share price has popped 4.7%.

Since it's been a strong week for Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd shareholders, let's have a look at trend of the longer term fundamentals.

View our latest analysis for Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd

To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' 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 three years of share price growth, Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd achieved compound earnings per share growth of 32% per year. We note, however, that extraordinary items have impacted earnings. Notably, the 33% average annual share price gain matches up nicely with the EPS growth rate. This observation indicates that the market's attitude to the business hasn't changed all that much. Au contraire, the share price change has arguably mimicked the EPS growth.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

Dive deeper into Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd's key metrics by checking this interactive graph of Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd shareholders are down 37% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 3.1%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 9% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. 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. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Great Chinasoft TechnologyLtd (including 1 which is significant) .

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 Chinese 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.