Does Bharat Dynamics (NSE:BDL) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

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. 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 are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Bharat Dynamics (NSE:BDL), which has not only revenues, but also profits. 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 Bharat Dynamics

Bharat Dynamics' 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. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Bharat Dynamics managed to grow EPS by 11% per year, over three years. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.

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. It's noted that Bharat Dynamics' revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. Bharat Dynamics shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 16% to 21%, and revenue is growing. 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.

While it's always good to see growing profits, you should always remember that a weak balance sheet could come back to bite. So check Bharat Dynamics' balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.

Are Bharat Dynamics Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's a good habit to check into a company's remuneration policies to ensure that the CEO and management team aren't putting their own interests before that of the shareholder with excessive salary packages. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Bharat Dynamics with market caps between ₹79b and ₹254b is about ₹46m.

The Bharat Dynamics CEO received total compensation of just ₹5.5m in the year to March 2021. That's clearly well below average, so at a glance that arrangement seems generous to shareholders and points to a modest remuneration culture. 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. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Should You Add Bharat Dynamics To Your Watchlist?

One important encouraging feature of Bharat Dynamics is that it is growing profits. On top of that, our faith in the board of directors is strengthened by the fact of the reasonable CEO pay. All things considered, Bharat Dynamics is definitely worth taking a deeper dive into. Before you take the next step you should know about the 2 warning signs for Bharat Dynamics (1 is a bit concerning!) that we have uncovered.

Although Bharat Dynamics certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

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.