It's been a bumpy ride for CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) shareholders this past 6 months.
For those who can't stomach extreme volatility, CSL shares wouldn't have been an appropriate choice over the last half year.
Nonetheless, CSL shareholders have been rewarded with a 10% return for holding in this time – almost double the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO)'s gain of 5.7%.
Let's take a closer look at the trek CSL shares have been on lately.
How has the CSL share price performed this past 6 months?
All in all, CSL shares have climbed $27 per share since April and now trade at $290, after sailing through choppy waters.
After rallying from $263 to $305 in months from April to June, a broker downgrade out of investment bank giant Citibank appears to have plagued the biotechnology company's share price at that point.
It fell sharply from the peak in June to a low of $275 by the following month. It popped again in mid-July after it appointed a new non-executive director, and then again in August after the release of its FY21 results.
In its earnings report, the company outperformed on guidance. It grew revenue 10% year on year to $10 billion and net profit by 10% as well to $2.3 billion – well above guidance of 3% to 8% growth.
CSL shares have been on the move since this event, nearly reaching their 52-week high by the end of September.
However, the CSL share price has taken a step backwards since then, in line with a selloff in the broader markets.
For instance, CSL shares have given away 7% this past month, whereas, at last check, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care index (XHJ) has also slipped over 6% in this time.
Most of this has occurred in the last few weeks, where CSL shares have slipped over 7% since 23 September, in line with the broad index.
In light of this, it's clear to see that it's been a bumpy ride for CSL shareholders this past 6 months, with big swings in the value of their holdings.
Zooming out the CSL share price
Taking a longer-term view, the situation appears very much the same. The CSL share price has gained 2.4% this year to date, and 1.9% over the last 12 months.
Looking at its chart, however, over this time, there are big swings in price and a wide 12-month range of $316.68 to $246.
After rallying over the past 2 months, CSL's share price has cooled off lately and currently trades at its July 2021 levels of $290.
