Do Cowell e Holdings' (HKG:1415) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

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 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 Cowell e Holdings (HKG:1415), 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.

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How Fast Is Cowell e Holdings Growing?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Shareholders will be happy to know that Cowell e Holdings' EPS has grown 32% each year, compound, over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away satisfied.

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 good news is that Cowell e Holdings is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 2.0 percentage points to 7.5%, over the last year. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.

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.

Check out our latest analysis for Cowell e Holdings

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Cowell e Holdings' forecast profits?

Are Cowell e Holdings 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. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Cowell e Holdings, with market caps between US$2.0b and US$6.4b, is around US$558k.

Cowell e Holdings' CEO only received compensation totalling US$458k in the year to December 2024. This could be considered a token amount, and indicates that the company does not need to use payment to motivate the CEO - that is often a good sign. 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. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Is Cowell e Holdings Worth Keeping An Eye On?

You can't deny that Cowell e Holdings has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. With swiftly growing earnings, the best days may still be to come, and the modest CEO pay suggests the company is careful with cash. We think that based on its merits alone, this stock is worth watching into the future. Even so, be aware that Cowell e Holdings is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

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 tailored list of Hong Kong companies which have demonstrated growth backed by significant insider holdings.

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.