For many investors, the main point of stock picking is to generate higher returns than the overall market. But if you try your hand at stock picking, your risk returning less than the market. We regret to report that long term Hilltop Holdings Inc. ( NYSE:HTH ) shareholders have had that experience, with the share price dropping 33% in three years, versus a market return of about 18%. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 27% in the last three months. Of course, this share price action may well have been influenced by the 15% decline in the broader market, throughout the period.