Do Otsuka Holdings' (TSE:4578) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

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. 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 Otsuka Holdings (TSE:4578). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

How Quickly Is Otsuka Holdings Increasing Earnings Per Share?

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 makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Recognition must be given to the that Otsuka Holdings has grown EPS by 40% per year, over the last three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches the eye of prospective investors.

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. The good news is that Otsuka Holdings is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 3.4 percentage points to 18%, over the last year. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.

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.

Check out our latest analysis for Otsuka Holdings

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Otsuka Holdings' future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are Otsuka Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Otsuka Holdings, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth JP¥67b. Investors will appreciate management having this amount of skin in the game as it shows their commitment to the company's future.

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 over JP¥1.2t, like Otsuka Holdings, the median CEO pay is around JP¥204m.

Otsuka Holdings' CEO took home a total compensation package worth JP¥137m in the year leading up to December 2023. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. 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 Otsuka Holdings To Your Watchlist?

Otsuka Holdings' earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. 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 drastic earnings growth indicates the business is going from strength to strength. Hopefully a trend that continues well into the future. Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Otsuka Holdings is worth considering carefully. Even so, be aware that Otsuka Holdings is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is a bit concerning...

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 JP 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.