Does AsiaQuest (TSE:4261) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like AsiaQuest (TSE:4261). 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.

Check out our latest analysis for AsiaQuest

AsiaQuest's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. We can see that in the last three years AsiaQuest grew its EPS by 16% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.

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. AsiaQuest maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 24% to JP¥3.5b. That's progress.

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.

AsiaQuest isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of JP¥3.2b. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are AsiaQuest Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Seeing insiders owning a large portion of the shares on issue is often a good sign. Their incentives will be aligned with the investors and there's less of a probability in a sudden sell-off that would impact the share price. So as you can imagine, the fact that AsiaQuest insiders own a significant number of shares certainly is appealing. In fact, they own 63% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. Intuition will tell you this is a good sign because it suggests they will be incentivised to build value for shareholders over the long term. Of course, AsiaQuest is a very small company, with a market cap of only JP¥3.2b. So despite a large proportional holding, insiders only have JP¥2.0b worth of stock. This isn't an overly large holding but it should still keep the insiders motivated to deliver the best outcomes for shareholders.

Is AsiaQuest Worth Keeping An Eye On?

One positive for AsiaQuest is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. If that's not enough on its own, there is also the rather notable levels of insider ownership. These two factors are a huge highlight for the company which should be a strong contender your watchlists. Even so, be aware that AsiaQuest is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

Although AsiaQuest certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with more skin in the game, then check out this handpicked selection of Japanese companies that not only boast of strong growth but have strong insider backing.

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.