Does Di Dong Il (KRX:001530) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

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. But as Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.

So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Di Dong Il (KRX:001530). Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

View our latest analysis for Di Dong Il

How Fast Is Di Dong Il Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

In business, though not in life, profits are a key measure of success; and share prices tend to reflect earnings per share (EPS). So like the hint of a smile on a face that I love, growing EPS generally makes me look twice. It is therefore awe-striking that Di Dong Il's EPS went from ₩1,011 to ₩7,642 in just one year. When you see earnings grow that quickly, it often means good things ahead for the company.

I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. While Di Dong Il may have maintained EBIT margins over the last year, revenue has fallen. Suffice it to say that is not a great sign of growth.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

Di Dong Il isn't a huge company, given its market capitalization of ₩154b. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Di Dong Il Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It makes me feel more secure owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, thusly more closely aligning our interests. So it is good to see that Di Dong Il insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Indeed, they hold ₩20b worth of its stock. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Those holdings account for over 13% of the company; visible skin in the game.

Is Di Dong Il Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Di Dong Il's earnings per share have taken off like a rocket aimed right at the moon. That EPS growth certainly has my attention, and the large insider ownership only serves to further stoke my interest. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point; and I do like those. So to my mind Di Dong Il is worth putting on your watchlist; after all, shareholders do well when the market underestimates fast growing companies. We should say that we've discovered 3 warning signs for Di Dong Il that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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