With EPS Growth And More, Touchstar (LON:TST) Makes An Interesting Case

The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. 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. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Touchstar (LON:TST). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

Check out our latest analysis for Touchstar

Touchstar's Improving Profits

Strong earnings per share (EPS) results are an indicator of a company achieving solid profits, which investors look upon favourably and so the share price tends to reflect great EPS performance. So for many budding investors, improving EPS is considered a good sign. It is awe-striking that Touchstar's EPS went from UK£0.01 to UK£0.04 in just one year. While it's difficult to sustain growth at that level, it bodes well for the company's outlook for the future.

Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. The music to the ears of Touchstar shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from -1.8% to 3.0% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. That's great to see, on both counts.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

Since Touchstar is no giant, with a market capitalisation of UK£7.2m, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Touchstar 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 Touchstar with market caps under UK£166m is about UK£281k.

Touchstar's CEO took home a total compensation package worth UK£215k in the year leading up to December 2021. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. 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.

Is Touchstar Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Touchstar's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. This appreciable increase in earnings could be a sign of an upward trajectory for the company. At the same time the reasonable CEO compensation reflects well on the board of directors. So faced with these facts, it seems that researching this stock a little more may lead you to discover an investment opportunity that meets your quality standards. Even so, be aware that Touchstar is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable...

Although Touchstar certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

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.