With EPS Growth And More, Nictus (JSE:NCS) Makes An Interesting Case

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. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

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 Nictus (JSE:NCS). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Nictus with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

See our latest analysis for Nictus

How Fast Is Nictus Growing?

The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Impressively, Nictus has grown EPS by 27% per year, compound, in the last three years. If growth like this continues on into the future, then shareholders will have plenty to smile about.

Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. It's noted that Nictus' revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. While we note Nictus achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 8.0% to R49m. That's encouraging news for the company!

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.

Nictus isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of R35m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Nictus Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Prior to investment, it's always a good idea to check that the management team is paid reasonably. Pay levels around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. For companies with market capitalisations under R3.7b, like Nictus, the median CEO pay is around R6.2m.

Nictus' CEO only received compensation totalling R445k in the year to March 2023. You could consider this pay as somewhat symbolic, which suggests the CEO does not need a lot of compensation to stay motivated. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Is Nictus Worth Keeping An Eye On?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Nictus' strong EPS growth. Strong EPS growth is a great look for the company and reasonable CEO compensation sweetens the deal for investors ass it alludes to management being conscious of frivolous spending. So this stock is well worth an addition to your watchlist as it has the potential to provide great value to shareholders. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with Nictus (at least 2 which make us uncomfortable) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

Although Nictus certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with more skin in the game, then check out this handpicked selection of South African companies that not only boast of strong growth but have strong insider backing.

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.