Is Now The Time To Put Qingdao Citymedia Co (SHSE:600229) On Your Watchlist?

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 Qingdao Citymedia Co (SHSE:600229). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

View our latest analysis for Qingdao Citymedia Co

How Fast Is Qingdao Citymedia Co 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 means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. It certainly is nice to see that Qingdao Citymedia Co has managed to grow EPS by 24% per year over three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be beaming.

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. EBIT margins for Qingdao Citymedia Co remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 4.1% to CN¥2.7b. That's encouraging news for the company!

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

While it's always good to see growing profits, you should always remember that a weak balance sheet could come back to bite. So check Qingdao Citymedia Co's balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.

Are Qingdao Citymedia Co Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

As a general rule, it's worth considering how much the CEO is paid, since unreasonably high rates could be considered against the interests of shareholders. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Qingdao Citymedia Co with market caps between CN¥2.9b and CN¥12b is about CN¥923k.

Qingdao Citymedia Co offered total compensation worth CN¥531k to its CEO in the year to December 2022. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Should You Add Qingdao Citymedia Co To Your Watchlist?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Qingdao Citymedia Co's strong EPS growth. With swiftly growing earnings, the best days may still be to come, and the modest CEO pay suggests the company is careful with cash. Based on these factors, this stock may well deserve a spot on your watchlist, or even a little further research. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Qingdao Citymedia Co , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Although Qingdao Citymedia Co certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with more skin in the game, then check out this handpicked selection of Chinese companies that not only boast of strong growth but have strong insider backing.

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.