If EPS Growth Is Important To You, UNIQA Insurance Group (VIE:UQA) Presents An Opportunity

It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in UNIQA Insurance Group (VIE:UQA). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide UNIQA Insurance Group with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for UNIQA Insurance Group

How Quickly Is UNIQA Insurance Group Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Shareholders will be happy to know that UNIQA Insurance Group's EPS has grown 31% each year, compound, over three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be beaming.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. It's noted that UNIQA Insurance Group's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. It was a year of stability for UNIQA Insurance Group as both revenue and EBIT margins remained have been flat over the past year. While this doesn't ring alarm bells, it may not meet the expectations of growth-minded investors.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

While profitability drives the upside, prudent investors always check the balance sheet, too.

Are UNIQA Insurance Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Prior to investment, it's always a good idea to check that the management team is paid reasonably. Pay levels around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalisations between €1.8b and €5.9b, like UNIQA Insurance Group, the median CEO pay is around €2.4m.

The UNIQA Insurance Group CEO received €1.8m in compensation for the year ending December 2022. That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Is UNIQA Insurance Group Worth Keeping An Eye On?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into UNIQA Insurance Group's strong EPS growth. With swiftly growing earnings, the best days may still be to come, and the modest CEO pay suggests the company is careful with cash. We think that based on its merits alone, this stock is worth watching into the future. You still need to take note of risks, for example - UNIQA Insurance Group has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is concerning) we think you should know about.

Although UNIQA Insurance Group certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, 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.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.