Is Now The Time To Put INFICON Holding (VTX:IFCN) On Your Watchlist?

It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like INFICON Holding (VTX:IFCN). While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.

Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit.

INFICON Holding's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Over the last three years, INFICON Holding has grown EPS by 12% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.

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. It seems INFICON Holding is pretty stable, since revenue and EBIT margins are pretty flat year on year. While this doesn't ring alarm bells, it may not meet the expectations of growth-minded investors.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

Check out our latest analysis for INFICON Holding

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 INFICON Holding?

Are INFICON Holding Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's a necessity that company leaders act in the best interest of shareholders and so insider investment always comes as a reassurance to the market. So it is good to see that INFICON Holding insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth US$284m. Investors will appreciate management having this amount of skin in the game as it shows their commitment to the company's future.

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations between US$2.0b and US$6.4b, like INFICON Holding, the median CEO pay is around US$1.7m.

The INFICON Holding CEO received US$1.2m in compensation for the year ending December 2024. 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.

Is INFICON Holding Worth Keeping An Eye On?

As previously touched on, INFICON Holding is a growing business, which is encouraging. The fact that EPS is growing is a genuine positive for INFICON Holding, but the pleasant picture gets better than that. With company insiders aligning themselves considerably with the company's success and modest CEO compensation, there's no arguments that this is a stock worth looking into. Now, you could try to make up your mind on INFICON 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.

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a tailored list of Swiss companies which have demonstrated growth backed by significant insider holdings.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.