Do Exide Industries's (NSE:EXIDEIND) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. 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.

If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Exide Industries (NSE:EXIDEIND). Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

See our latest analysis for Exide Industries

How Quickly Is Exide Industries Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Exide Industries managed to grow EPS by 5.1% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't amazing, it does show the business is growing.

One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Exide Industries shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 19% to 21%, and revenue is growing. That's great to see, on both counts.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

While profitability drives the upside, prudent investors always check the balance sheet, too.

Are Exide Industries Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Like that fresh smell in the air when the rains are coming, insider buying fills me with optimistic anticipation. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.

The first bit of good news is that no Exide Industries insiders reported share sales in the last twelve months. But the really good news is that Independent Non-Executive Director Mona Desai spent ₹26m buying stock stock, at an average price of around ₹190. Big buys like that give me a sense of opportunity; actions speak louder than words.

I do like that insiders have been buying shares in Exide Industries, but there is more evidence of shareholder friendly management. I refer to the very reasonable level of CEO pay. I discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Exide Industries with market caps between ₹74b and ₹237b is about ₹32m.

The Exide Industries CEO received ₹27m in compensation for the year ending . That seems pretty reasonable, especially given its below the median for similar sized companies. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when its reasonable that does give me a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Should You Add Exide Industries To Your Watchlist?

One positive for Exide Industries is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Like chocolate chips in vanilla ice cream, the insider buying, and modest CEO pay, make it better. The sum of all that, for me, points to a quality business, and a genuine prospect for further research. Even so, be aware that Exide Industries is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

As a growth investor I do like to see insider buying. But Exide Industries isn't the only one. You can see a 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. 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.
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