With EPS Growth And More, Entersoft (ATH:ENTER) 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 as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Entersoft (ATH:ENTER). 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Entersoft

How Quickly Is Entersoft 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. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. It certainly is nice to see that Entersoft has managed to grow EPS by 33% 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.

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. The music to the ears of Entersoft shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 21% to 25% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. That's great to see, on both counts.

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

Since Entersoft is no giant, with a market capitalisation of €190m, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Entersoft 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 Entersoft insiders own a meaningful share of the business. In fact, they own 54% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. Intuition will tell you this is a good sign because it suggests they will be incentivised to build value for shareholders over the long term. With that sort of holding, insiders have about €104m riding on the stock, at current prices. That's nothing to sneeze at!

Does Entersoft Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Entersoft's strong EPS growth. This EPS growth rate is something the company should be proud of, and so it's no surprise that insiders are holding on to a considerable chunk of shares. The growth and insider confidence is looked upon well and so it's worthwhile to investigate further with a view to discern the stock's true value. Now, you could try to make up your mind on Entersoft by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.

Although Entersoft certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with insider buying, then check out this handpicked selection of Greek companies that not only boast of strong growth but have also seen recent insider buying..

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.