Does Elders (ASX:ELD) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

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 currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. 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.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Elders (ASX:ELD). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Elders with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

View our latest analysis for Elders

How Fast Is Elders Growing?

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 Elders' EPS has grown 18% each year, compound, over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away satisfied.

Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. While we note Elders achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 35% to AU$3.4b. That's a real positive.

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

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Elders?

Are Elders Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. Because often, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

We note that Elders insiders spent AU$106k 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.

The good news, alongside the insider buying, for Elders bulls is that insiders (collectively) have a meaningful investment in the stock. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at AU$24m. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that's only about 1.8% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

Should You Add Elders To Your Watchlist?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Elders' strong EPS growth. Furthermore, company insiders have been adding to their significant stake in the company. So it's fair to say that this stock may well deserve a spot on your watchlist. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Elders (1 is potentially serious) you should be aware of.

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Elders, you'll probably love this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

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.