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Here's Why Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors

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.

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 Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL). 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 Ralph Lauren

How Quickly Is Ralph Lauren Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. We can see that in the last three years Ralph Lauren grew its EPS by 14% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.

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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. Ralph Lauren maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 19% to US$6.3b. That's encouraging news for the company!

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

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 Ralph Lauren's future EPS 100% free.

Are Ralph Lauren 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.

Despite US$600k worth of sales, Ralph Lauren insiders have overwhelmingly been buying the stock, spending US$996k on purchases in the last twelve months. You could argue that level of buying implies genuine confidence in the business. We also note that it was the Lead Independent Director, Hubert Joly, who made the biggest single acquisition, paying US$990k for shares at about US$118 each.

Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for Ralph Lauren is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$2.0b. This totals to 29% of shares in the company. Enough to lead management's decision making process down a path that brings the most benefit to shareholders. So there is opportunity here to invest in a company whose management have tangible incentives to deliver.

Is Ralph Lauren Worth Keeping An Eye On?

One positive for Ralph Lauren is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. On top of that, we've seen insiders buying shares even though they already own plenty. That makes the company a prime candidate for your watchlist - and arguably a research priority. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Ralph Lauren that you should be aware of.

Keen growth investors love to see insider buying. Thankfully, Ralph Lauren isn't the only one. You can see a a free list of them here.

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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