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. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.
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 CDW Holding (SGX:BXE). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.
View our latest analysis for CDW Holding
How Fast Is CDW Holding Growing Its Earnings Per Share?
Investors and investment funds chase profits, and that means share prices tend rise with positive earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. So a growing EPS generally brings attention to a company in the eyes of prospective investors. It's an outstanding feat for CDW Holding to have grown EPS from US$0.011 to US$0.064 in just one year. When you see earnings grow that quickly, it often means good things ahead for the company.
Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. While we note CDW Holding achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 3.3% to US$148m. That's progress.
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.
CDW Holding isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of S$58m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.
Are CDW Holding Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Seeing insiders owning a large portion of the shares on issue is often a good sign. Their incentives will be aligned with the investors and there's less of a probability in a sudden sell-off that would impact the share price. So as you can imagine, the fact that CDW Holding insiders own a significant number of shares certainly is appealing. Indeed, with a collective holding of 58%, company insiders are in control and have plenty of capital behind the venture. This makes it apparent they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - a positive for shareholders with a sit and hold strategy. With that sort of holding, insiders have about US$34m riding on the stock, at current prices. That's nothing to sneeze at!
Should You Add CDW Holding To Your Watchlist?
CDW Holding's earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. That sort of growth is nothing short of eye-catching, and the large investment held by insiders should certainly brighten the view of the company. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there's a potential opportunity to be had here. So based on this quick analysis, we do think it's worth considering CDW Holding for a spot on your watchlist. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with CDW Holding (at least 1 which shouldn't be ignored) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you 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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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.
About SGX:BXE
CDW Holding
An investment holding company, produces and supplies precision components in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and internationally.
Excellent balance sheet and slightly overvalued.