Yahoo Finance Here's Why Halfords Group (LON:HFD) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors
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. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.
If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Halfords Group (LON:HFD). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Halfords Group with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.
Check out our latest analysis for Halfords Group
How Fast Is Halfords Group Growing?
Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Shareholders will be happy to know that Halfords Group's EPS has grown 19% each year, compound, over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away satisfied.
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. EBIT margins for Halfords Group remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 6.0% to UK£1.4b. 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.
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 Halfords Group's future EPS 100% free.
Are Halfords Group 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. Because often, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.
Not only did Halfords Group insiders refrain from selling stock during the year, but they also spent UK£116k buying it. This is a good look for the company as it paints an optimistic picture for the future. It is also worth noting that it was Independent Non-Executive Chairman Keith Williams who made the biggest single purchase, worth UK£64k, paying UK£3.20 per share.
Does Halfords Group Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Halfords Group's strong EPS growth. The growth rate should be enticing enough to consider researching the company, and the insider buying is a great added bonus. In essence, your time will not be wasted checking out Halfords Group in more detail. We should say that we've discovered 4 warning signs for Halfords Group (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
The good news is that Halfords Group is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here's a list of them... 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.
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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.
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