Stock Analysis

With EPS Growth And More, Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (NSE:GSFC) Makes An Interesting Case

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

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (NSE:GSFC). 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.

View our latest analysis for Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals

How Fast Is Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Growing?

The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals' shareholders have have plenty to be happy about as their annual EPS growth for the last 3 years was 57%. Growth that fast may well be fleeting, but it should be more than enough to pique the interest of the wary stock pickers.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. The music to the ears of Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 8.3% to 15% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.

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.

earnings-and-revenue-history
NSEI:GSFC Earnings and Revenue History November 26th 2022

Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals.

Are Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Prior to investment, it's always a good idea to check that the management team is paid reasonably. Pay levels around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalisations between ₹33b and ₹131b, like Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals, the median CEO pay is around ₹33m.

The CEO of Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals was paid just ₹929k in total compensation for the year ending March 2022. 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. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Does Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals' earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. Such fast EPS growth prompts the question: has the business reached an inflection point? What's more, the fact that the CEO's compensation is quite reasonable is a sign that the company is conscious of excessive spending. So Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals looks like it could be a good quality growth stock, at first glance. That's worth watching. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (of which 1 is a bit concerning!) you should know about.

Although Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals 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.