Advertisement
New Zealand markets closed
  • NZX 50

    12,105.29
    +94.63 (+0.79%)
     
  • NZD/USD

    0.5984
    -0.0022 (-0.36%)
     
  • NZD/EUR

    0.5536
    -0.0007 (-0.12%)
     
  • ALL ORDS

    8,153.70
    +80.10 (+0.99%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,896.90
    +77.30 (+0.99%)
     
  • OIL

    82.39
    +1.04 (+1.28%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,234.00
    +21.30 (+0.96%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,278.15
    -2.69 (-0.01%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,967.27
    +35.29 (+0.44%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,763.37
    +3.29 (+0.01%)
     
  • DAX

    18,492.48
    +15.39 (+0.08%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     
  • NZD/JPY

    90.4110
    -0.3690 (-0.41%)
     

Should You Be Adding Lennox International (NYSE:LII) To Your Watchlist Today?

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. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Lennox International (NYSE:LII), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

Check out our latest analysis for Lennox International

Lennox International'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 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. Lennox International managed to grow EPS by 10% per year, over three years. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.

ADVERTISEMENT

Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. Lennox International maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 13% to US$4.7b. 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.

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

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 Lennox International's future EPS 100% free.

Are Lennox International Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Since Lennox International has a market capitalisation of US$9.5b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth US$304m. This suggests that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions!

Does Lennox International Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

One important encouraging feature of Lennox International is that it is growing profits. To add an extra spark to the fire, significant insider ownership in the company is another highlight. That combination is very appealing. So yes, we do think the stock is worth keeping an eye on. Before you take the next step you should know about the 3 warning signs for Lennox International (2 shouldn't be ignored!) that we have uncovered.

The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

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.

Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here