Here's Why We Think Times Guaranty (NSE:TIMESGTY) Is Well Worth Watching

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. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.

In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like Times Guaranty (NSE:TIMESGTY). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Times Guaranty

How Fast Is Times Guaranty Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Over the last three years, Times Guaranty has grown earnings per share (EPS) like young bamboo after rain; fast, and from a low base. So I don't think the percent growth rate is particularly meaningful. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Like a firecracker arcing through the night sky, Times Guaranty's EPS shot from ₹3.11 to ₹6.42, over the last year. Year on year growth of 106% is certainly a sight to behold. The best case scenario? That the business has hit a true inflection point.

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. I note that Times Guaranty's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort my analysis of its margins. The good news is that Times Guaranty is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 8.0 percentage points to 92%, over the last year. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in my book.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Since Times Guaranty is no giant, with a market capitalization of ₹418m, so you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Times Guaranty Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

I always like to check up on CEO compensation, because I think that reasonable pay levels, around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalizations under ₹15b, like Times Guaranty, the median CEO pay is around ₹3.0m.

The CEO of Times Guaranty was paid just ₹1.1m in total compensation for the year ending . You could consider this pay as somewhat symbolic, which suggests the CEO does not need a lot of compensation to stay motivated. 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.

Is Times Guaranty Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Times Guaranty's earnings have taken off like any random crypto-currency did, back in 2017. With rocketing profits, its seems likely the business has a rosy future; and it may have hit an inflection point. At the same time the reasonable CEO compensation reflects well on the board of directors. While I couldn't be sure without a deeper dive, it does seem that Times Guaranty has the hallmarks of a quality business; and that would make it well worth watching. Before you take the next step you should know about the 2 warning signs for Times Guaranty (1 is potentially serious!) that we have uncovered.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

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.

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