Here's Why Kore Digital (NSE:KDL) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors

Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone 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.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Kore Digital (NSE:KDL). 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.

See our latest analysis for Kore Digital

Kore Digital's Improving Profits

Even with very modest growth rates, a company will usually do well if it improves earnings per share (EPS) year after year. So EPS growth can certainly encourage an investor to take note of a stock. Commendations have to be given in seeing that Kore Digital grew its EPS from ₹12.60 to ₹40.21, in one short year. When you see earnings grow that quickly, it often means good things ahead for the company. But the key is discerning whether something profound has changed, or if this is a just a one-off boost.

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. On the revenue front, Kore Digital has done well over the past year, growing revenue by 567% to ₹1.5b but EBIT margin figures were less stellar, seeing a decline over the last 12 months. So if EBIT margins can stabilize, this top-line growth should pay off for shareholders.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

Since Kore Digital is no giant, with a market capitalisation of ₹8.6b, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Kore Digital 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 as you can imagine, the fact that Kore Digital insiders own a significant number of shares certainly is appealing. Indeed, with a collective holding of 63%, company insiders are in control and have plenty of capital behind the venture. This makes it apparent they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - a positive for shareholders with a sit and hold strategy. In terms of absolute value, insiders have ₹5.4b invested in the business, at the current share price. That's nothing to sneeze at!

While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations under ₹17b, like Kore Digital, the median CEO pay is around ₹3.6m.

The Kore Digital CEO received total compensation of only ₹1.5m in the year to March 2024. This could be considered a token amount, and indicates that the company does not need to use payment to motivate the CEO - that is often a good sign. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it's reasonable, that gives a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Does Kore Digital Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Kore Digital's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. The cherry on top is that insiders own a bucket-load of shares, and the CEO pay seems really quite reasonable. The sharp increase in earnings could signal good business momentum. Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Kore Digital is worth considering carefully. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Kore Digital you should know about.

While opting for stocks without growing earnings and absent insider buying can yield results, for investors valuing these key metrics, here is a carefully selected list of companies in IN with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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.