Here's Why We Think Swissquote Group Holding (VTX:SQN) Might Deserve Your Attention Today

Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone profit. 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.

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 Swissquote Group Holding (VTX:SQN). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Swissquote Group Holding with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

View our latest analysis for Swissquote Group Holding

Swissquote Group Holding's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. It certainly is nice to see that Swissquote Group Holding has managed to grow EPS by 34% per year over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away satisfied.

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. It's noted that Swissquote Group Holding's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. While we note Swissquote Group Holding achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 29% to CHF552m. That's a real positive.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

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 Swissquote Group Holding?

Are Swissquote Group Holding Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It should give investors a sense of security owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, creating a close alignment their interests. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own Swissquote Group Holding shares worth a considerable sum. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth CHF428m. Investors will appreciate management having this amount of skin in the game as it shows their commitment to the company's future.

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations between CHF1.8b and CHF5.8b, like Swissquote Group Holding, the median CEO pay is around CHF1.6m.

Swissquote Group Holding offered total compensation worth CHF1.1m to its CEO in the year to December 2023. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Should You Add Swissquote Group Holding To Your Watchlist?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Swissquote Group Holding's strong EPS growth. If you still have your doubts, remember too that company insiders have a considerable investment aligning themselves with the shareholders and CEO pay is quite modest compared to similarly sized companiess. The overarching message here is that Swissquote Group Holding has underlying strengths that make it worth a look at. Now, you could try to make up your mind on Swissquote Group Holding by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.

While opting for stocks without growing earnings and absent insider buying can yield results, for investors valuing these key metrics, here is a carefully selected list of companies in CH with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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.