Yahoo Finance If You Like EPS Growth Then Check Out Aristocrat Leisure (ASX:ALL) Before It's Too Late
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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses.
In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Aristocrat Leisure (ASX:ALL), which has not only revenues, but also profits. 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 Aristocrat Leisure
How Quickly Is Aristocrat Leisure Increasing Earnings Per Share?
If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. I, for one, am blown away by the fact that Aristocrat Leisure has grown EPS by 41% per year, over the last three years. That sort of growth never lasts long, but like a shooting star it is well worth watching when it happens.
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). To cut to the chase Aristocrat Leisure's EBIT margins dropped last year, and so did its revenue. That is, not a hint of euphemism here, suboptimal.
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.
You don't drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Aristocrat Leisure's future profits.
Are Aristocrat Leisure Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Like standing at the lookout, surveying the horizon at sunrise, insider buying, for some investors, sparks joy. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.
We haven't seen any insiders selling Aristocrat Leisure shares, in the last year. With that in mind, it's heartening that Arlene Tansey, the Independent Non-Executive Director of the company, paid AU$26k for shares at around AU$26.23 each.
On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that Aristocrat Leisure insiders have a valuable investment in the business. To be specific, they have AU$21m worth of shares. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that's only about 0.09% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.
Should You Add Aristocrat Leisure To Your Watchlist?
Aristocrat Leisure's earnings have taken off like any random crypto-currency did, back in 2017. The incing on the cake is that insiders own a large chunk of the company and one has even been buying more shares. Because of the potential that it has reached an inflection point, I'd suggest Aristocrat Leisure belongs on the top of your watchlist. We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for Aristocrat Leisure (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Aristocrat Leisure, you'll probably love this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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