Do Fulton Financial's (NASDAQ:FULT) 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. 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 are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Fulton Financial (NASDAQ:FULT). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Fulton Financial with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

See our latest analysis for Fulton Financial

Fulton Financial's Improving Profits

Even when EPS earnings per share (EPS) growth is unexceptional, company value can be created if this rate is sustained each year. So EPS growth can certainly encourage an investor to take note of a stock. Fulton Financial has grown its trailing twelve month EPS from US$1.50 to US$1.56, in the last year. That's a modest gain of 4.3%.

Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. Not all of Fulton Financial's 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. Fulton Financial reported flat revenue and EBIT margins over the last year. While this doesn't ring alarm bells, it may not meet the expectations of growth-minded investors.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Fulton Financial.

Are Fulton Financial 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. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own Fulton Financial shares worth a considerable sum. To be specific, they have US$31m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. While their ownership only accounts for 1.1%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations between US$2.0b and US$6.4b, like Fulton Financial, the median CEO pay is around US$6.6m.

Fulton Financial's CEO took home a total compensation package worth US$4.2m in the year leading up to December 2021. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it's reasonable, that gives a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Does Fulton Financial Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

One important encouraging feature of Fulton Financial is that it is growing profits. The growth of EPS may be the eye-catching headline for Fulton Financial, but there's more to bring joy for shareholders. Boasting both modest CEO pay and considerable insider ownership, you'd argue this one is worthy of the watchlist, at least. It is worth noting though that we have found 2 warning signs for Fulton Financial that you need to take into consideration.

Although Fulton Financial certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

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.