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. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.
In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like SRG Global (ASX:SRG), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.
See our latest analysis for SRG Global
How Quickly Is SRG Global Increasing Earnings Per Share?
The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Shareholders will be happy to know that SRG Global's EPS has grown 28% 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.
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. While we note SRG Global achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 32% to AU$1.1b. That's a real positive.
In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.
Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for SRG Global.
Are SRG Global Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Insider interest in a company always sparks a bit of intrigue and many investors are on the lookout for companies where insiders are putting their money where their mouth is. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.
We note that SRG Global insiders spent AU$123k on stock, over the last year; in contrast, we didn't see any selling. This is a good look for the company as it paints an optimistic picture for the future.
Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for SRG Global is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. To be specific, they have AU$48m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. That amounts to 6.0% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders.
Should You Add SRG Global To Your Watchlist?
If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into SRG Global's strong EPS growth. On top of that, insiders own a significant stake in the company and have been buying more shares. These things considered, this is one stock worth watching. We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for SRG Global that you should be aware of before investing here.
The good news is that SRG Global is not the only stock with insider buying. Here's a list of small cap, undervalued companies in AU with insider buying in the last three months!
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.
About ASX:SRG
SRG Global
Provides engineering-led maintenance and industrial services, and engineering and construction services in Australia, New Zealand, and internationally.
Flawless balance sheet with solid track record.