With EPS Growth And More, General Motors (NYSE:GM) Makes An Interesting Case

It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. 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.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like General Motors (NYSE:GM), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

View our latest analysis for General Motors

How Fast Is General Motors 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. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. We can see that in the last three years General Motors grew its EPS by 9.7% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up. Getting in to the the finer details, it important to know that the EPS growth has been helped by share buybacks, demonstrating that the business is positioned to return capital to its shareholders.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. Not all of General Motors' revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers used in this article might not be the best representation of the underlying business. General Motors maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 6.2% to US$183b. That's progress.

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.

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of General Motors' forecast profits?

Are General Motors Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of General Motors, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$120m. While that is a lot of skin in the game, we note this holding only totals to 0.2% of the business, which is a result of the company being so large. So despite their percentage holding being low, company management still have plenty of reasons to deliver the best outcomes for investors.

Should You Add General Motors To Your Watchlist?

As previously touched on, General Motors 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. These two factors are a huge highlight for the company which should be a strong contender your watchlists. However, before you get too excited we've discovered 3 warning signs for General Motors (2 are significant!) that you should be aware of.

Although General Motors certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with more skin in the game, then check out this handpicked selection of companies that not only boast of strong growth but have strong insider backing.

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.