For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?’ Leuz et. al. found that it is ‘quite common’ for investors to lose money by buying into ‘pump and dump’ schemes.
If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Shimao Property Holdings (HKG:813). While profit is not necessarily a social good, it’s easy to admire a business than can consistently produce it. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital – but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.
View our latest analysis for Shimao Property Holdings
How Quickly Is Shimao Property Holdings Increasing Earnings Per Share?
If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you’d expect a company’s share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. As a tree reaches steadily for the sky, Shimao Property Holdings’s EPS has grown 22% each year, compound, over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we’d expect shareholders to come away winners.
One way to double-check a company’s growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Shimao Property Holdings maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 29% to CN¥100b. That’s a real positive.
The chart below shows how the company’s bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. To that end, right now and today, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for future Shimao Property Holdings EPS 100% free.
Are Shimao Property Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Many consider high insider ownership to be a strong sign of alignment between the leaders of a company and the ordinary shareholders. So we’re pleased to report that Shimao Property Holdings insiders own a meaningful share of the business. In fact, they own 70% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. This makes me think they will be incentivised to plan for the long term – something I like to see. At the current share price, that insider holding is worth a whopping CN¥68b. That means they have plenty of their own capital riding on the performance of the business!
Is Shimao Property Holdings Worth Keeping An Eye On?
For growth investors like me, Shimao Property Holdings’s raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. Further, the high level of insider buying impresses me, and suggests that I’m not the only one who appreciates the EPS growth. Fast growth and confident insiders should be enough to warrant further research. So the answer is that I do think this is a good stock to follow along with. Now, you could try to make up your mind on Shimao Property Holdings by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.
Although Shimao Property Holdings certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you’re looking for.
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
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