If EPS Growth Is Important To You, Chuanglian Holdings (HKG:2371) Presents An Opportunity

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. Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Chuanglian Holdings (HKG:2371), 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.

View our latest analysis for Chuanglian Holdings

Chuanglian Holdings' 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. Commendations have to be given in seeing that Chuanglian Holdings grew its EPS from CN¥0.0017 to CN¥0.0077, in one short year. Even though that growth rate may not be repeated, that looks like a breakout improvement. 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. The music to the ears of Chuanglian Holdings shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 11% to 14% 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. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Since Chuanglian Holdings is no giant, with a market capitalisation of HK$284m, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Chuanglian Holdings 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 those who are interested in Chuanglian Holdings will be delighted to know that insiders have shown their belief, holding a large proportion of the company's shares. To be exact, company insiders hold 52% of the company, so their decisions have a significant impact on their investments. 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. To give you an idea, the value of insiders' holdings in the business are valued at CN¥146m at the current share price. That should be more than enough to keep them focussed on creating shareholder value!

Should You Add Chuanglian Holdings To Your Watchlist?

Chuanglian Holdings' earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. This level of EPS growth does wonders for attracting investment, and the large insider investment in the company is just the cherry on top. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. So based on this quick analysis, we do think it's worth considering Chuanglian Holdings for a spot on your watchlist. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Chuanglian Holdings (1 is a bit concerning) you should be aware of.

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

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.