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Here's Why We Think CDW (NASDAQ:CDW) Might Deserve Your Attention Today

It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. 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. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

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 CDW (NASDAQ:CDW). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

See our latest analysis for CDW

How Quickly Is CDW Increasing Earnings Per Share?

The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. We can see that in the last three years CDW grew its EPS by 17% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.

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Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. While we note CDW achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 16% to US$23b. That's encouraging news for the company!

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

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

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of CDW's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are CDW Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.

The real kicker here is that CDW insiders spent a staggering US$1.5m on acquiring shares in just one year, without single share being sold in the meantime. Buying like that is a fantastic look for the company and should rouse the market in anticipation for the future. We also note that it was the President, Christine Leahy, who made the biggest single acquisition, paying US$500k for shares at about US$181 each.

The good news, alongside the insider buying, for CDW bulls is that insiders (collectively) have a meaningful investment in the stock. Given insiders own a significant chunk of shares, currently valued at US$85m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. That's certainly enough to let shareholders know that management will be very focussed on long term growth.

While insiders are apparently happy to hold and accumulate shares, that is just part of the big picture. That's because CDW's CEO, Chris Leahy, is paid at a relatively modest level when compared to other CEOs for companies of this size. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to CDW, with market caps over US$8.0b, is around US$13m.

The CDW CEO received US$8.9m in compensation for the year ending December 2021. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Should You Add CDW To Your Watchlist?

One positive for CDW is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Better yet, insiders are significant shareholders, and have been buying more shares. These factors alone make the company an interesting prospect for your watchlist, as well as continuing research. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for CDW you should be aware of.

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of CDW, 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.

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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