Here's Why We Think Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) Might Deserve Your Attention Today

For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and 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 can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Range Resources (NYSE:RRC), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

Check out our latest analysis for Range Resources

Range Resources' Improving Profits

Strong earnings per share (EPS) results are an indicator of a company achieving solid profits, which investors look upon favourably and so the share price tends to reflect great EPS performance. So a growing EPS generally brings attention to a company in the eyes of prospective investors. It's an outstanding feat for Range Resources to have grown EPS from US$2.16 to US$7.03 in just one year. While it's difficult to sustain growth at that level, it bodes well for the company's outlook for the future.

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 Range Resources' revenue last year was 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. Unfortunately, Range Resources' revenue dropped 20% last year, but the silver lining is that EBIT margins improved from 16% to 56%. That falls short of ideal.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

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 Range Resources.

Are Range Resources Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Range Resources, 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. Notably, they have an enviable stake in the company, worth US$128m. This suggests that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions!

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. Well, based on the CEO pay, you'd argue that they are indeed. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Range Resources, with market caps between US$4.0b and US$12b, is around US$8.2m.

The Range Resources CEO received total compensation of just US$3.3m in the year to December 2022. First impressions seem to indicate a compensation policy that is favourable to shareholders. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, 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.

Is Range Resources Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Range Resources' earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The drastic earnings growth indicates the business is going from strength to strength. Hopefully a trend that continues well into the future. Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Range Resources is worth considering carefully. Even so, be aware that Range Resources is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is concerning...

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you 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.

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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.