Do Evergreen Steel's (TWSE:2211) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

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. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

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 Evergreen Steel (TWSE:2211). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Evergreen Steel with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Evergreen Steel

How Fast Is Evergreen Steel 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) outcomes. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Recognition must be given to the that Evergreen Steel has grown EPS by 52% per year, over the last three years. Growth that fast may well be fleeting, but it should be more than enough to pique the interest of the wary stock pickers.

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. Unfortunately, Evergreen Steel's revenue dropped 16% last year, but the silver lining is that EBIT margins improved from 16% to 30%. That falls short of ideal.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

While profitability drives the upside, prudent investors always check the balance sheet, too.

Are Evergreen Steel Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It should give investors a sense of security owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, creating a close alignment their interests. So it is good to see that Evergreen Steel insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at NT$9.0b. This totals to 19% of shares in the company. Enough to lead management's decision making process down a path that brings the most benefit to shareholders. So there is opportunity here to invest in a company whose management have tangible incentives to deliver.

Does Evergreen Steel Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Evergreen Steel's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. That EPS growth certainly is attention grabbing, and the large insider ownership only serves to further stoke our interest. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching Evergreen Steel very closely. Still, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Evergreen Steel.

While opting for stocks without growing earnings and absent insider buying can yield results, for investors valuing these key metrics, here is a carefully selected list of companies in TW with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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.