I Ran A Stock Scan For Earnings Growth And Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ:SBCF) Passed With Ease

Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.

If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ:SBCF). Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

See our latest analysis for Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida

How Quickly Is Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Increasing Earnings Per Share?

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). It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida managed to grow EPS by 16% per year, over three years. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.

One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Not all of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers I've used might not be the best representation of the underlying business. While we note Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 27% to US$339m. That's progress.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

I like company leaders to have some skin in the game, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. As a result, I'm encouraged by the fact that insiders own Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida shares worth a considerable sum. Indeed, they hold US$36m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Despite being just 1.8% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.

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 capitalizations between US$1.0b and US$3.2b, like Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida, the median CEO pay is around US$3.7m.

The Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida CEO received total compensation of just US$1.4m in the year to . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. While the level of CEO compensation isn't a huge factor in my view of the company, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Should You Add Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida To Your Watchlist?

As I already mentioned, Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida is a growing business, which is what I like to see. The fact that EPS is growing is a genuine positive for Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida, but the pretty picture gets better than that. Boasting both modest CEO pay and considerable insider ownership, I'd argue this one is worthy of the watchlist, at least. Before you take the next step you should know about the 3 warning signs for Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida that we have uncovered.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like 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.

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.

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