Yahoo Finance If You Like EPS Growth Then Check Out Union Bankshares (NASDAQ:UNB) 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. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.
If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Union Bankshares (NASDAQ:UNB). Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. 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.
See our latest analysis for Union Bankshares
Union Bankshares's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.
The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so share price follows earnings per share (EPS) eventually. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Over the last three years, Union Bankshares has grown EPS by 13% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.
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). Not all of Union Bankshares's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers I've used might not be the best representation of the underlying business. Union Bankshares maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 19% to US$48m. 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.
Since Union Bankshares is no giant, with a market capitalization of US$148m, so you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.
Are Union Bankshares 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. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.
One positive for Union Bankshares, is that company insiders paid US$5.3k for shares in the last year. While this isn't much, we also note an absence of sales.
On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that Union Bankshares insiders have a valuable investment in the business. Indeed, they hold US$26m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. That amounts to 17% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders.
Does Union Bankshares Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
One important encouraging feature of Union Bankshares is that it is growing profits. On top of that, we've seen insiders buying shares even though they already own plenty. To me, that all makes it well worth a spot on your watchlist, as well as continuing research. While we've looked at the quality of the earnings, we haven't yet done any work to value the stock. So if you like to buy cheap, you may want to check if Union Bankshares is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.
As a growth investor I do like to see insider buying. But Union Bankshares isn't the only one. You can see a a free list of them here.
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. 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.
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