Do Hunan Gold's (SZSE:002155) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

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 Hunan Gold (SZSE:002155). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Hunan Gold with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

View our latest analysis for Hunan Gold

How Quickly Is Hunan Gold Increasing Earnings Per Share?

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. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. It certainly is nice to see that Hunan Gold has managed to grow EPS by 29% per year 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. Hunan Gold maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 11% to CN¥23b. That's encouraging news for the company!

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Hunan Gold's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are Hunan Gold Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's a good habit to check into a company's remuneration policies to ensure that the CEO and management team aren't putting their own interests before that of the shareholder with excessive salary packages. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Hunan Gold with market caps between CN¥15b and CN¥46b is about CN¥1.6m.

Hunan Gold's CEO took home a total compensation package of CN¥702k in the year prior to December 2023. That looks like a modest pay packet, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. 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. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Does Hunan Gold Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

For growth investors, Hunan Gold's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. Strong EPS growth is a great look for the company and reasonable CEO compensation sweetens the deal for investors ass it alludes to management being conscious of frivolous spending. So this stock is well worth an addition to your watchlist as it has the potential to provide great value to shareholders. You still need to take note of risks, for example - Hunan Gold has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

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 Chinese 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.

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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.

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