While Sunyard Technology Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600571) shareholders are probably generally happy, the stock hasn't had particularly good run recently, with the share price falling 13% in the last quarter. But that shouldn't obscure the pleasing returns achieved by shareholders over the last three years. To wit, the share price did better than an index fund, climbing 60% during that period.

Although Sunyard TechnologyLtd has shed CN¥420m from its market cap this week, let's take a look at its longer term fundamental trends and see if they've driven returns.

Sunyard TechnologyLtd isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually desire strong revenue growth. 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.

Sunyard TechnologyLtd's revenue trended up 13% each year over three years. That's a very respectable growth rate. The share price gain of 17% per year shows that the market is paying attention to this growth. If that's the case, then it could be well worth while to research the growth trajectory. Of course, it's always worth considering funding risks when a company isn't profitable.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

It's probably worth noting that the CEO is paid less than the median at similar sized 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 Sunyard TechnologyLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What About The Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

Investors should note that there's a difference between Sunyard TechnologyLtd's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. 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. Sunyard TechnologyLtd's TSR of 70% for the 3 years exceeded its share price return, because it has paid dividends.

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Sunyard TechnologyLtd shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 11% over one year. That's better than the annualised return of 4% 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. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Sunyard TechnologyLtd better, we need to consider many other factors. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Sunyard TechnologyLtd you should be aware of, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can 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.