Yahoo Finance Do Gresham House's (LON:GHE) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?
Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without 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.
In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like Gresham House (LON:GHE). While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business that can consistently produce it. 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.
View our latest analysis for Gresham House
How Fast Is Gresham House Growing Its Earnings Per Share?
In a capitalist society capital chases profits, and that means share prices tend rise with earnings per share (EPS). So like the hint of a smile on a face that I love, growing EPS generally makes me look twice. You can imagine, then, that it almost knocked my socks off when I realized that Gresham House grew its EPS from UK£0.019 to UK£0.31, in one short year. Even though that growth rate is unlikely to 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.
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 Gresham House'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. Gresham House shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 1.2% to 15%, and revenue is growing. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in my book.
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.
The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. To that end, right now and today, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for future Gresham House EPS 100% free.
Are Gresham House Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Like standing at the lookout, surveying the horizon at sunrise, insider buying, for some investors, sparks joy. Because oftentimes, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.
Like a sturdy phalanx Gresham House insiders have stood united by refusing to sell shares over the last year. But my excitement comes from the UK£100k that Independent Non-Executive Director Simon Stilwell spent buying shares (at an average price of about UK£9.10).
On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that Gresham House insiders have a valuable investment in the business. Indeed, they hold UK£33m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. That amounts to 9.5% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders.
Should You Add Gresham House To Your Watchlist?
Gresham House's earnings per share growth have been levitating higher, like a mountain goat scaling the Alps. The incing on the cake is that insiders own a large chunk of the company and one has even been buying more shares. Because of the potential that it has reached an inflection point, I'd suggest Gresham House belongs on the top of your watchlist. We should say that we've discovered 1 warning sign for Gresham House that you should be aware of before investing here.
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Gresham House, 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.
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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.
