We Ran A Stock Scan For Earnings Growth And Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG) Passed With Ease

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. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

Check out our latest analysis for Macquarie Group

How Quickly Is Macquarie Group 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. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. We can see that in the last three years Macquarie Group grew its EPS by 12% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.

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. Not all of Macquarie Group's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers used in this article might not be the best representation of the underlying business. Macquarie Group maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 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. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

You don't drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Macquarie Group's future profits.

Are Macquarie Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Investors are always searching for a vote of confidence in the companies they hold and insider buying is one of the key indicators for optimism on the market. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.

Despite AU$99k worth of sales, Macquarie Group insiders have overwhelmingly been buying the stock, spending AU$1.3m on purchases in the last twelve months. You could argue that level of buying implies genuine confidence in the business. It is also worth noting that it was Independent Director Michelle Hinchliffe who made the biggest single purchase, worth AU$382k, paying AU$181 per share.

On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that Macquarie Group insiders have a valuable investment in the business. 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.

Is Macquarie Group Worth Keeping An Eye On?

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. That should do plenty in prompting budding investors to undertake a bit more research - or even adding the company to their watchlists. It is worth noting though that we have found 2 warning signs for Macquarie Group that you need to take into consideration.

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.