Argonaut Gold (TSE:AR) Posted Healthy Earnings But There Are Some Other Factors To Be Aware Of

Argonaut Gold Inc.'s (TSE:AR) robust earnings report didn't manage to move the market for its stock. Our analysis suggests that this might be because shareholders have noticed some concerning underlying factors.

Check out our latest analysis for Argonaut Gold

In order to understand the potential for per share returns, it is essential to consider how much a company is diluting shareholders. In fact, Argonaut Gold increased the number of shares on issue by 74% over the last twelve months by issuing new shares. As a result, its net income is now split between a greater number of shares. To talk about net income, without noticing earnings per share, is to be distracted by the big numbers while ignoring the smaller numbers that talk to per share value. You can see a chart of Argonaut Gold's EPS by clicking here.

A Look At The Impact Of Argonaut Gold's Dilution on Its Earnings Per Share (EPS).

We don't have any data on the company's profits from three years ago. And even focusing only on the last twelve months, we don't have a meaningful growth rate because it made a loss a year ago, too. But mathematics aside, it is always good to see when a formerly unprofitable business come good (though we accept profit would have been higher if dilution had not been required). And so, you can see quite clearly that dilution is having a rather significant impact on shareholders.

In the long term, if Argonaut Gold's earnings per share can increase, then the share price should too. However, if its profit increases while its earnings per share stay flat (or even fall) then shareholders might not see much benefit. For that reason, you could say that EPS is more important that net income in the long run, assuming the goal is to assess whether a company's share price might grow.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Argonaut Gold's Profit Performance

Argonaut Gold issued shares during the year, and that means its EPS performance lags its net income growth. For this reason, we think that Argonaut Gold's statutory profits may be a bad guide to its underlying earnings power, and might give investors an overly positive impression of the company. On the bright side, the company showed enough improvement to book a profit this year, after losing money last year. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. If you'd like to know more about Argonaut Gold as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for Argonaut Gold (1 is a bit unpleasant!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Argonaut Gold's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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