Yahoo Finance Here's Why National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors
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 National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA). While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.
Check out our latest analysis for National Bank of Canada
How Fast Is National Bank of Canada Growing?
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Impressively, National Bank of Canada has grown EPS by 18% 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.
One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Not all of National Bank of Canada's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers used in this article might not be the best representation of the underlying business. EBIT margins for National Bank of Canada remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 17% to CA$9.5b. That's a real positive.
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.
Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for National Bank of Canada.
Are National Bank of Canada Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Insider interest in a company always sparks a bit of intrigue and many investors are on the lookout for companies where insiders are putting their money where their mouth is. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.
The CA$375k worth of shares that insiders sold during the last 12 months pales in comparison to the CA$2.5m they spent on acquiring shares in the company. This bodes well for National Bank of Canada as it highlights the fact that those who are important to the company having a lot of faith in its future. Zooming in, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by President Laurent Ferreira for CA$1.4m worth of shares, at about CA$96.74 per share.
Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for National Bank of Canada is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at CA$62m. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. While their ownership only accounts for 0.2%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.
Should You Add National Bank of Canada To Your Watchlist?
If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into National Bank of Canada's strong EPS growth. Furthermore, company insiders have been adding to their significant stake in the company. These things considered, this is one stock worth watching. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 1 warning sign for National Bank of Canada that you need to be mindful of.
Keen growth investors love to see insider buying. Thankfully, National Bank of Canada 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.
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.
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