Does Atico Mining (CVE:ATY) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Some have more dollars than sense, they say, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can easily find investors. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.'

If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Atico Mining (CVE:ATY). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.

See our latest analysis for Atico Mining

How Quickly Is Atico Mining Increasing Earnings Per Share?

As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Impressively, Atico Mining has grown EPS by 31% per year, compound, in the last three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away winners.

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. Atico Mining's EBIT margins are flat but, of some concern, its revenue is actually down. Suffice it to say that is not a great sign of growth.

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

Atico Mining isn't a huge company, given its market capitalization of CA$68m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Atico Mining Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Like the kids in the streets standing up for their beliefs, insider share purchases give me reason to believe in a brighter future. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

In the last twelve months Atico Mining insiders spent US$51k on stock; good news for shareholders. While this isn't much, we also note an absence of sales. Zooming in, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by President Alain Bureau for CA$24k worth of shares, at about CA$0.24 per share.

Is Atico Mining Worth Keeping An Eye On?

For growth investors like me, Atico Mining's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. The growth rate whets my appetite for research, and the insider buying only increases my interest in the stock. To put it succinctly; Atico Mining is a strong candidate for your watchlist. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Atico Mining that you need to be mindful of.

As a growth investor I do like to see insider buying. But Atico Mining 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. 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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