Is Now The Time To Put Metals Exploration (LON:MTL) 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. 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.

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

See our latest analysis for Metals Exploration

How Fast Is Metals Exploration Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Investors and investment funds chase profits, and that means share prices tend rise with positive earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. So a growing EPS generally brings attention to a company in the eyes of prospective investors. Commendations have to be given in seeing that Metals Exploration grew its EPS from US$0.0042 to US$0.056, in one short year. While it's difficult to sustain growth at that level, it bodes well for the company's outlook for the future. This could point to the business hitting a point of inflection.

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. Metals Exploration maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 34% to US$167m. That's progress.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

Metals Exploration isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of UK£113m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Metals Exploration Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Seeing insiders owning a large portion of the shares on issue is often a good sign. Their incentives will be aligned with the investors and there's less of a probability in a sudden sell-off that would impact the share price. So we're pleased to report that Metals Exploration insiders own a meaningful share of the business. In fact, they own 37% of the shares, making insiders a very influential shareholder group. This should be a welcoming sign for investors because it suggests that the people making the decisions are also impacted by their choices. In terms of absolute value, insiders have US$42m invested in the business, at the current share price. So there's plenty there to keep them focused!

Is Metals Exploration Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Metals Exploration's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. That sort of growth is nothing short of eye-catching, and the large investment held by insiders should certainly brighten the view of the company. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching Metals Exploration very closely. Before you take the next step you should know about the 3 warning signs for Metals Exploration (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that we have uncovered.

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 GB 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.