We Ran A Stock Scan For Earnings Growth And Petrolia (OB:PSE) Passed With Ease

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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Petrolia (OB:PSE), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

Check out our latest analysis for Petrolia

How Fast Is Petrolia Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

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 Petrolia grew its EPS from US$0.0072 to US$0.078, in one short year. Even though that growth rate may not be repeated, that looks like a breakout improvement.

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. Unfortunately, Petrolia's revenue dropped 12% last year, but the silver lining is that EBIT margins improved from 12% to 15%. While not disastrous, these figures could be better.

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.

Petrolia isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of kr287m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Petrolia Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's a good habit to check into a company's remuneration policies to ensure that the CEO and management team aren't putting their own interests before that of the shareholder with excessive salary packages. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Petrolia, with market caps under US$200m is around US$298k.

The CEO of Petrolia was paid just US$57k in total compensation for the year ending December 2023. You could consider this pay as somewhat symbolic, which suggests the CEO does not need a lot of compensation to stay motivated. 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. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Is Petrolia Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Petrolia's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. Such fast EPS growth prompts the question: has the business reached an inflection point? At the same time the reasonable CEO compensation reflects well on the board of directors. So faced with these facts, it seems that researching this stock a little more may lead you to discover an investment opportunity that meets your quality standards. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Petrolia 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 NO 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.