Here's Why We Think JTC (LON:JTC) 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 are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like JTC (LON:JTC), which has not only revenues, but also profits. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for JTC

JTC's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. To the delight of shareholders, JTC has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 45%, compound, over the last three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches the eye of prospective investors.

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. While JTC did well to grow revenue over the last year, EBIT margins were dampened at the same time. If EBIT margins are able to stay balanced and this revenue growth continues, then we should see brighter days ahead.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for JTC.

Are JTC Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. Because often, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

The UK£677k worth of shares that insiders sold during the last 12 months pales in comparison to the UK£2.3m they spent on acquiring shares in the company. This adds to the interest in JTC because it suggests that those who understand the company best, are optimistic. It is also worth noting that it was Group Chief Financial Officer & Executive Director Martin Fotheringham who made the biggest single purchase, worth UK£1.3m, paying UK£6.30 per share.

On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that JTC insiders have a valuable investment in the business. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth UK£89m. Holders should find this level of insider commitment quite encouraging, since it would ensure that the leaders of the company would also experience their success, or failure, with the stock.

Does JTC Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

JTC's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. What's more, insiders own a significant stake in the company and have been buying more shares. This quick rundown suggests that the business may be of good quality, and also at an inflection point, so maybe JTC deserves timely attention. Even so, be aware that JTC is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

The good news is that JTC is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here's a list of them... with insider buying in the last three months!

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.