<div id="readability-page-1"><div>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%. One great example is Imperial Brands PLC (LON:IMB) which saw its share price drive 102% higher over five years. In the last week shares have slid back 2.2%. With that in mind, it's worth seeing if the company's underlying fundamentals have been the driver of long term performance, or if there are some discrepancies. We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. 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 five years of share price growth, Imperial Brands achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 11% per year. This EPS growth is slower than the share price growth of 15% per year, over the same period. So it's fair to assume the market has a higher opinion of the business than it did five years ago. And that's hardly shocking given the track record of growth. You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). <figure><img height="1040" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://images.simplywall.st/asset/chart/397508-earnings-per-share-growth-1-dark-2/1765696325651?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="1642" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://images.simplywall.st/asset/chart/397508-earnings-per-share-growth-1-dark-2/1765696325651"/><figcaption>LSE:IMB Earnings Per Share Growth December 14th 2025</figcaption></figure> It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on Imperial Brands' earnings, revenue and cash flow. <h2>What About Dividends?</h2> When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. As it happens, Imperial Brands' TSR for the last 5 years was 192%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! <h2>A Different Perspective</h2> We're pleased to report that Imperial Brands shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 29% over one year. That's including the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 24% 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. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Imperial Brands , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. But note: Imperial Brands 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 British exchanges.<div>Mobile Infrastructure for Defense and DisasterThe next wave in robotics isn't humanoid. Its fully autonomous towers delivering 5G, ISR, and radar in under 30 minutes, anywhere.Get the investor briefing before the next round of contractsSponsored On Behalf of CiTech</div></div></div>

IMBBY

Imperial Brands (LON:IMB) has seen a 192% total shareholder return over five years, driven by dividends and share price growth. The company's EPS grew 11% annually, while share price increased 15% per year, indicating positive market perception. Recent returns are 29% over one year, suggesting business momentum. Investors should consider market conditions and risks, as well as explore other companies with growth potential.

Those who invested in Imperial Brands (LON:IMB) five years ago are up 192%