Passive investing in index funds can generate returns that roughly match the overall market. But you can significantly boost your returns by picking above-average stocks. To wit, the Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical Technology Co.,Ltd (SHSE:603016) share price is 40% higher than it was a year ago, much better than the market return of around 2.3% (not including dividends) in the same period. So that should have shareholders smiling. However, the longer term returns haven't been so impressive, with the stock up just 17% in the last three years.

The past week has proven to be lucrative for Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd investors, so let's see if fundamentals drove the company's one-year performance.

Check out our latest analysis for Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd

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 Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd grew its earnings per share (EPS) by 25%. This EPS growth is significantly lower than the 40% increase in the share price. So it's fair to assume the market has a higher opinion of the business than it a year ago. This favorable sentiment is reflected in its (fairly optimistic) P/E ratio of 56.70.

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

It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd's TSR for the last 1 year was 42%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

It's good to see that Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 42% in the last twelve months. That's including the dividend. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 6%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd better, we need to consider many other factors. Even so, be aware that Wuxi New Hongtai Electrical TechnologyLtd is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

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.