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 completely 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.'
So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Budimex (WSE:BDX). 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.
Check out our latest analysis for Budimex
Budimex'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 it's no surprise that some investors are more inclined to invest in profitable businesses. Like a firecracker arcing through the night sky, Budimex's EPS shot from zł8.83 to zł18.57, over the last year. You don't see 110% year-on-year growth like that, very often.
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. Budimex shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 3.7% to 8.1%, and revenue is growing. That's great to see, on both counts.
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.
Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Budimex.
Are Budimex Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Is Budimex Worth Keeping An Eye On?
Budimex's earnings per share growth have been levitating higher, like a mountain goat scaling the Alps. Still, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Budimex (including 1 which is potentially serious) .
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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About WSE:BDX
Budimex
Operates as an infrastructure and services company in Poland, Germany, and internationally.
Flawless balance sheet with solid track record.