Here's Why We Think Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance (TADAWUL:8200) Is Well Worth Watching

Some have more dollars than sense, they say, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can easily find investors. 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.

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance (TADAWUL:8200), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. 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 Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance

How Quickly Is Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance managed to grow EPS by 15% per year, over three years. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.

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. I note that Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort my analysis of its margins. Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 21% to ر.س772m. That's progress.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

While it's always good to see growing profits, you should always remember that a weak balance sheet could come back to bite. So check Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance's balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.

Are Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

I always like to check up on CEO compensation, because I think that reasonable pay levels, around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalizations between ر.س750m and ر.س3.0b, like Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance, the median CEO pay is around ر.س969k.

The Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance CEO received total compensation of just ر.س270k in the year to . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. While the level of CEO compensation isn't a huge factor in my view of the company, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.

Does Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

As I already mentioned, Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance is a growing business, which is what I like to see. On top of that, my faith in the board of directors is strengthened by the fact of the reasonable CEO pay. So all in all I think it's worth at least considering for your watchlist. We should say that we've discovered 1 warning sign for Saudi Re for Cooperative Reinsurance 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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