Long term investing can be life changing when you buy and hold the truly great businesses. While the best companies are hard to find, but they can generate massive returns over long periods. For example, the Seres Group Co.,Ltd (SHSE:601127) share price is up a whopping 542% in the last half decade, a handsome return for long term holders. And this is just one example of the epic gains achieved by some long term investors. Also pleasing for shareholders was the 50% gain in the last three months. We love happy stories like this one. The company should be really proud of that performance!

Let's take a look at the underlying fundamentals over the longer term, and see if they've been consistent with shareholders returns.

Seres GroupLtd isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. That's because it's hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit.

In the last 5 years Seres GroupLtd saw its revenue grow at 13% per year. That's a pretty good long term growth rate. However, the share price gain of 45% during the period is considerably stronger. We usually like strong growth stocks but it does seem the market already appreciates this one quite well!

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

This free interactive report on Seres GroupLtd's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Seres GroupLtd's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. 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. Dividends have been really beneficial for Seres GroupLtd shareholders, and that cash payout contributed to why its TSR of 549%, over the last 5 years, is better than the share price return.

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Seres GroupLtd shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 221% over one year. That's better than the annualised return of 45% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. Shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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 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.