The most you can lose on any stock (assuming you don't use leverage) is 100% of your money. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. For example, the Pilgrim's Pride Corporation (NASDAQ:PPC) share price has soared 104% in the last 1 year. Most would be very happy with that, especially in just one year! It's also good to see the share price up 19% over the last quarter. It is also impressive that the stock is up 57% over three years, adding to the sense that it is a real winner.

Since the stock has added US$721m to its market cap in the past week alone, let's see if underlying performance has been driving long-term returns.

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 imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During the last year Pilgrim's Pride grew its earnings per share (EPS) by 369%. It's fair to say that the share price gain of 104% did not keep pace with the EPS growth. So it seems like the market has cooled on Pilgrim's Pride, despite the growth. Interesting.

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

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. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Pilgrim's Pride's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that Pilgrim's Pride shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 104% over the last year. That's better than the annualised return of 8% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. 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. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Pilgrim's Pride (1 is concerning) that you should be aware of.

But note: Pilgrim's Pride may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast).

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