If EPS Growth Is Important To You, LUG (WSE:LUG) Presents An Opportunity

Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone 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. 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.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like LUG (WSE:LUG). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

See our latest analysis for LUG

How Fast Is LUG Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

LUG has undergone a massive growth in earnings per share over the last three years. So much so that this three year growth rate wouldn't be a fair assessment of the company's future. As a result, we'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. LUG boosted its trailing twelve month EPS from zł0.54 to zł0.63, in the last year. There's little doubt shareholders would be happy with that 18% gain.

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. On the one hand, LUG's EBIT margins fell over the last year, but on the other hand, revenue grew. If EBIT margins are able to stay balanced and this revenue growth continues, then we should see brighter days ahead.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

LUG isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of zł48m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are LUG Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Theory would suggest that it's an encouraging sign to see high insider ownership of a company, since it ties company performance directly to the financial success of its management. So we're pleased to report that LUG insiders own a meaningful share of the business. To be exact, company insiders hold 55% of the company, so their decisions have a significant impact on their investments. 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. Valued at only zł48m LUG is really small for a listed company. That means insiders only have zł26m worth of shares, despite the large proportional holding. That might not be a huge sum but it should be enough to keep insiders motivated!

Should You Add LUG To Your Watchlist?

As previously touched on, LUG is a growing business, which is encouraging. For those who are looking for a little more than this, the high level of insider ownership enhances our enthusiasm for this growth. The combination definitely favoured by investors so consider keeping the company on a watchlist. You still need to take note of risks, for example - LUG has 4 warning signs (and 2 which are concerning) we think you should know about.

The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

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.