If EPS Growth Is Important To You, Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG) Presents An Opportunity

The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. 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.

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 Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

See our latest analysis for Macquarie Group

How Fast Is Macquarie Group Growing?

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) outcomes. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Over the last three years, Macquarie Group has grown EPS by 12% per year. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.

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. Our analysis has highlighted that Macquarie Group's revenue from operations did not account for all of their revenue in the previous 12 months, so our analysis of its margins might not accurately reflect the underlying business. EBIT margins for Macquarie Group remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 35% to AU$17b. That's a real positive.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

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 Macquarie Group.

Are Macquarie Group 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. Because often, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.

We do note that, in the last year, insiders sold AU$99k worth of shares. But that's far less than the AU$1.3m insiders spent purchasing stock. We find this encouraging because it suggests they are optimistic about Macquarie Group'sfuture. We also note that it was the company insider, Michelle Hinchliffe, who made the biggest single acquisition, paying AU$382k for shares at about AU$181 each.

Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for Macquarie Group is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth AU$200m. This comes in at 0.3% of shares in the company, which is a fair amount of a business of this size. So despite their percentage holding being low, company management still have plenty of reasons to deliver the best outcomes for investors.

Does Macquarie Group Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

As previously touched on, Macquarie Group is a growing business, which is encouraging. In addition, insiders have been busy adding to their sizeable holdings in the company. These factors alone make the company an interesting prospect for your watchlist, as well as continuing research. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Macquarie Group that you need to be mindful of.

Keen growth investors love to see insider buying. Thankfully, Macquarie Group isn't the only one. You can see a a free list of them here.

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.