Here's Why I Think Betsson (STO:BETS B) Is An Interesting Stock

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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses.

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Betsson (STO:BETS B), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business that can consistently produce it. Conversely, a loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the sweet milk of external capital may run sour.

Check out our latest analysis for Betsson

How Fast Is Betsson Growing?

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. Over the last three years, Betsson has grown EPS by 8.8% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.

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 we note Betsson's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 23% to kr6.4b. That's progress.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

You don't drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Betsson's future profits.

Are Betsson Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Like standing at the lookout, surveying the horizon at sunrise, insider buying, for some investors, sparks joy. Because oftentimes, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

Despite -kr2.2m worth of sales, Betsson insiders have overwhelmingly been buying the stock, spending kr7.0m on purchases in the last twelve months. On balance, to me, this signals their optimism. It is also worth noting that it was CEO & President Pontus Lindwall who made the biggest single purchase, worth kr5.9m, paying kr30.80 per share.

Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for Betsson is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. To be specific, they have kr203m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Even though that's only about 2.1% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

Does Betsson Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

One positive for Betsson is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Better yet, insiders are significant shareholders, and have been buying more shares. To me, that all makes it well worth a spot on your watchlist, as well as continuing research. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Betsson you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us.

The good news is that Betsson is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here's a list of them... 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. 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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