Yahoo Finance If You Like EPS Growth Then Check Out Eclipx Group (ASX:ECX) 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 as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.'
In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Eclipx Group (ASX:ECX), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.
View our latest analysis for Eclipx Group
Eclipx Group's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.
As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. As a tree reaches steadily for the sky, Eclipx Group's EPS has grown 27% each year, compound, over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away winners.
I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. Eclipx Group's EBIT margins have actually improved by 9.7 percentage points in the last year, to reach 19%, but, on the flip side, revenue was down 3.9%. That's not ideal.
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.
Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Eclipx Group's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.
Are Eclipx Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Like the kids in the streets standing up for their beliefs, insider share purchases give me reason to believe in a brighter future. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.
The good news for Eclipx Group shareholders is that no insiders reported selling shares in the last year. So it's definitely nice that Independent Non-Executive Chairman Gail Pemberton bought AU$50k worth of shares at an average price of around AU$2.31.
Is Eclipx Group Worth Keeping An Eye On?
Given my belief that share price follows earnings per share you can easily imagine how I feel about Eclipx Group's strong EPS growth. Not only is that growth rate rather juicy, but the insider buying makes my mouth water. To put it succinctly; Eclipx Group is a strong candidate for your watchlist. Even so, be aware that Eclipx Group is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is significant...
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Eclipx Group, 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.
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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.
