If EPS Growth Is Important To You, Plover Bay Technologies (HKG:1523) Presents An Opportunity

For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. 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.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Plover Bay Technologies (HKG:1523). 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.

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Plover Bay Technologies' Earnings Per Share Are Growing

If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Impressively, Plover Bay Technologies has grown EPS by 22% per year, compound, in the last three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be beaming.

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. Plover Bay Technologies maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 15% to US$122m. That's progress.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

See our latest analysis for Plover Bay Technologies

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Plover Bay Technologies' future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are Plover Bay Technologies 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 Plover Bay Technologies will be delighted to know that insiders have shown their belief, holding a large proportion of the company's shares. In fact, they own 70% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. This makes it apparent they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - a positive for shareholders with a sit and hold strategy. At the current share price, that insider holding is worth a staggering US$5.2b. That means they have plenty of their own capital riding on the performance of the business!

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations between US$400m and US$1.6b, like Plover Bay Technologies, the median CEO pay is around US$433k.

The Plover Bay Technologies CEO received total compensation of only US$235k in the year to December 2024. This total may indicate that the CEO is sacrificing take home pay for performance-based benefits, ensuring that their motivations are synonymous with strong company results. 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 good governance, more generally.

Is Plover Bay Technologies Worth Keeping An Eye On?

For growth investors, Plover Bay Technologies' raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. If that's not enough, consider also that the CEO pay is quite reasonable, and insiders are well-invested alongside other shareholders. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to investing but it definitely makes Plover Bay Technologies look rather interesting indeed. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 1 warning sign for Plover Bay Technologies that you need to be mindful of.

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 HK 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.