It is doubtless a positive to see that the ION Geophysical Corporation (NYSE:IO) share price has gained some 135% in the last three months. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last three years have been stomach churning. Indeed, the share price is down a whopping 89% in the last three years. So it's about time shareholders saw some gains. Only time will tell if the company can sustain the turnaround.

We really feel for shareholders in this scenario. It's a good reminder of the importance of diversification, and it's worth keeping in mind there's more to life than money, anyway.

Check out our latest analysis for ION Geophysical

Given that ION Geophysical didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. When a company doesn't make profits, we'd generally expect to see good 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.

In the last three years ION Geophysical saw its revenue shrink by 3.1% per year. That's not what investors generally want to see. The share price fall of 24% (per year, over three years) is a stern reminder that money-losing companies are expected to grow revenue. This business clearly needs to grow revenues if it is to perform as investors hope. Don't let a share price decline ruin your calm. You make better decisions when you're calm.

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

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on ION Geophysical

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 27% in the last year, ION Geophysical shareholders lost 15%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 2% per year over five years. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand ION Geophysical better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 5 warning signs with ION Geophysical (at least 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.