If EPS Growth Is Important To You, Prestige Consumer Healthcare (NYSE:PBH) Presents An Opportunity

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. 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.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Prestige Consumer Healthcare (NYSE:PBH). 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.

See our latest analysis for Prestige Consumer Healthcare

Prestige Consumer Healthcare's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. Prestige Consumer Healthcare's shareholders have have plenty to be happy about as their annual EPS growth for the last 3 years was 57%. While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches the eye of prospective investors.

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. EBIT margins for Prestige Consumer Healthcare remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 11% to US$1.1b. That's progress.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Prestige Consumer Healthcare?

Are Prestige Consumer Healthcare Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's pleasing to see company leaders with putting their money on the line, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. So it is good to see that Prestige Consumer Healthcare insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Indeed, they hold US$25m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Despite being just 0.9% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.

Is Prestige Consumer Healthcare Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Prestige Consumer Healthcare's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. That EPS growth certainly is attention grabbing, and the large insider ownership only serves to further stoke our interest. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there's a potential opportunity to be had here. So at the surface level, Prestige Consumer Healthcare is worth putting on your watchlist; after all, shareholders do well when the market underestimates fast growing companies. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 1 warning sign for Prestige Consumer Healthcare that you need to be mindful of.

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.