Yahoo Finance Here's Why We Think Smartpay Holdings (NZSE:SPY) Is Well Worth Watching
Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone profit. 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 can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.
So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Smartpay Holdings (NZSE:SPY). 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 Smartpay Holdings
Smartpay Holdings' Improving Profits
Investors and investment funds chase profits, and that means share prices tend rise with positive earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. Which is why EPS growth is looked upon so favourably. It is awe-striking that Smartpay Holdings' EPS went from NZ$0.0092 to NZ$0.035 in just one year. Even though that growth rate may not be repeated, that looks like a breakout improvement. But the key is discerning whether something profound has changed, or if this is a just a one-off boost.
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. Smartpay Holdings shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 4.6% to 12%, and revenue is growing. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.
The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. While crystal balls don't exist, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for Smartpay Holdings' future EPS 100% free.
Are Smartpay Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
It should give investors a sense of security owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, creating a close alignment their interests. So it is good to see that Smartpay Holdings insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. To be specific, they have NZ$21m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Those holdings account for over 6.7% of the company; visible skin in the game.
It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations between NZ$170m and NZ$678m, like Smartpay Holdings, the median CEO pay is around NZ$1.1m.
Smartpay Holdings offered total compensation worth NZ$818k to its CEO in the year to March 2023. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it's reasonable, that gives a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.
Should You Add Smartpay Holdings To Your Watchlist?
Smartpay Holdings' earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. The sweetener is that insiders have a mountain of stock, and the CEO remuneration is quite reasonable. The drastic earnings growth indicates the business is going from strength to strength. Hopefully a trend that continues well into the future. Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Smartpay Holdings is worth considering carefully. However, before you get too excited we've discovered 1 warning sign for Smartpay Holdings that you should be aware of.
There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.
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.
