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Here's Why We Think Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) Might Deserve Your Attention Today

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. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Gilead Sciences with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences' 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. We can see that in the last three years Gilead Sciences grew its EPS by 4.5% per year. That might not be particularly high growth, but it does show that per-share earnings are moving steadily in the right direction.

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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 have declined for Gilead Sciences, but revenue stability should provide some reassurance to shareholders. That doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

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

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Gilead Sciences' forecast profits?

Are Gilead Sciences Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Since Gilead Sciences has a market capitalisation of US$97b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Given insiders own a significant chunk of shares, currently valued at US$66m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. This would indicate that the goals of shareholders and management are one and the same.

Is Gilead Sciences Worth Keeping An Eye On?

As previously touched on, Gilead Sciences is a growing business, which is encouraging. If that's not enough on its own, there is also the rather notable levels of insider ownership. The combination definitely favoured by investors so consider keeping the company on a watchlist. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Gilead Sciences , and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

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.

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