Here's Why We Think Ice Make Refrigeration (NSE:ICEMAKE) Is Well Worth Watching

The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. 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 are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

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 Ice Make Refrigeration (NSE:ICEMAKE). 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Ice Make Refrigeration

How Quickly Is Ice Make Refrigeration Increasing Earnings Per Share?

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. To the delight of shareholders, Ice Make Refrigeration has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 60%, compound, over the last three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches the eye of prospective investors.

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 music to the ears of Ice Make Refrigeration shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 6.9% to 9.5% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Since Ice Make Refrigeration is no giant, with a market capitalisation of ₹8.7b, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Ice Make Refrigeration Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Many consider high insider ownership to be a strong sign of alignment between the leaders of a company and the ordinary shareholders. So those who are interested in Ice Make Refrigeration will be delighted to know that insiders have shown their belief, holding a large proportion of the company's shares. Indeed, with a collective holding of 73%, company insiders are in control and have plenty of capital behind the venture. This should be seen as a good thing, as it means insiders have a personal interest in delivering the best outcomes for shareholders. In terms of absolute value, insiders have ₹6.4b invested in the business, at the current share price. That should be more than enough to keep them focussed on creating shareholder value!

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Ice Make Refrigeration, with market caps under ₹17b is around ₹3.6m.

The CEO of Ice Make Refrigeration was paid just ₹2.7m in total compensation for the year ending March 2023. 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. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Does Ice Make Refrigeration Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Ice Make Refrigeration's earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The strong EPS improvement suggests the businesses is humming along. Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Ice Make Refrigeration is worth considering carefully. While we've looked at the quality of the earnings, we haven't yet done any work to value the stock. So if you like to buy cheap, you may want to check if Ice Make Refrigeration is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

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.