Over the last month the Cenntro Electric Group Limited (NASDAQ:CENN) has been much stronger than before, rebounding by 73%. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last year have been disappointing. Like a receding glacier in a warming world, the share price has melted 52% in that period. Some might say the recent bounce is to be expected after such a bad drop. Of course, it could be that the fall was overdone.

Although the past week has been more reassuring for shareholders, they're still in the red over the last year, so let's see if the underlying business has been responsible for the decline.

See our latest analysis for Cenntro Electric Group

Because Cenntro Electric Group made a loss in the last twelve months, we think the market is probably more focussed on revenue and revenue growth, at least for now. 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, Cenntro Electric Group increased its revenue by 81%. That's a strong result which is better than most other loss making companies. In contrast the share price is down 52% over twelve months. Yes, the market can be a fickle mistress. This could mean hype has come out of the stock because the bottom line is concerning investors. Generally speaking investors would consider a stock like this less risky once it turns a profit. But when do you think that will happen?

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. Dive deeper into the earnings by checking this interactive graph of Cenntro Electric Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

Cenntro Electric Group shareholders are down 52% for the year, even worse than the market loss of 11%. That's disappointing, but it's worth keeping in mind that the market-wide selling wouldn't have helped. With the stock down 29% over the last three months, the market doesn't seem to believe that the company has solved all its problems. 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. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Cenntro Electric Group you should know about.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

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.