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Does Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (ASX:SXE) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.'

If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (ASX:SXE). 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.

See our latest analysis for Southern Cross Electrical Engineering

How Quickly Is Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Increasing Earnings Per Share?

As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. Over the last three years, Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has grown EPS by 12% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.

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I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). The good news is that Southern Cross Electrical Engineering is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 3.3 percentage points to 4.8%, 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.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

Since Southern Cross Electrical Engineering is no giant, with a market capitalization of AU$155m, so you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Southern Cross Electrical Engineering 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 Southern Cross Electrical Engineering shares worth a considerable sum. Indeed, they hold AU$37m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. That amounts to 24% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders.

Does Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

One positive for Southern Cross Electrical Engineering is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. If that's not enough on its own, there is also the rather notable levels of insider ownership. The combination sparks joy for me, so I'd consider keeping the company on a watchlist. We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for Southern Cross Electrical Engineering that you should be aware of before investing here.

You can invest in any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.