Should You Be Adding Greenland Technologies Holding (NASDAQ:GTEC) To Your Watchlist Today?

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. But as Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.

In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like Greenland Technologies Holding (NASDAQ:GTEC). While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business that can consistently produce it. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

View our latest analysis for Greenland Technologies Holding

How Fast Is Greenland Technologies Holding Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Even modest earnings per share growth (EPS) can create meaningful value, when it is sustained reliably from year to year. So it's no surprise that some investors are more inclined to invest in profitable businesses. Like a firecracker arcing through the night sky, Greenland Technologies Holding's EPS shot from US$0.36 to US$0.98, over the last year. You don't see 173% year-on-year growth like that, very often. That could be a sign that the business has reached a true inflection point.

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. The good news is that Greenland Technologies Holding is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 3.5 percentage points to 12%, over the last year. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in my book.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

Since Greenland Technologies Holding is no giant, with a market capitalization of US$71m, so you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Greenland Technologies Holding Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Many consider high insider ownership to be a strong sign of alignment between the leaders of a company and the ordinary shareholders. So we're pleased to report that Greenland Technologies Holding insiders own a meaningful share of the business. Indeed, with a collective holding of 60%, company insiders are in control and have plenty of capital behind the venture. This makes me think they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - something I like to see. In terms of absolute value, insiders have US$43m invested in the business, using the current share price. That's nothing to sneeze at!

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? Well, based on the CEO pay, I'd say they are indeed. For companies with market capitalizations under US$200m, like Greenland Technologies Holding, the median CEO pay is around US$544k.

The CEO of Greenland Technologies Holding only received US$214k in total compensation for the year ending . That's clearly well below average, so at a glance, that arrangement seems generous to shareholders, and points to a modest remuneration culture. 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. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.

Does Greenland Technologies Holding Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Greenland Technologies Holding's earnings per share have taken off like a rocket aimed right at the moon. The cherry on top is that insiders own a bucket-load of shares, and the CEO pay seems really quite reasonable. The strong EPS improvement suggests the businesses is humming along. Big growth can make big winners, so I do think Greenland Technologies Holding is worth considering carefully. Even so, be aware that Greenland Technologies Holding is showing 6 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those can't be ignored...

Although Greenland Technologies Holding certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, 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.
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