Yahoo Finance Here's Why We Think IDEXX Laboratories (NASDAQ:IDXX) Might Deserve Your Attention Today
The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. 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. 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.
In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like IDEXX Laboratories (NASDAQ:IDXX), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.
View our latest analysis for IDEXX Laboratories
IDEXX Laboratories' Earnings Per Share Are Growing
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. Impressively, IDEXX Laboratories has grown EPS by 21% per year, compound, in the last three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away satisfied.
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. The music to the ears of IDEXX Laboratories shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 26% to 30% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.
In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of IDEXX Laboratories' forecast profits?
Are IDEXX Laboratories Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a US$39b company like IDEXX Laboratories. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth US$374m. While that is a lot of skin in the game, we note this holding only totals to 1.0% of the business, which is a result of the company being so large. This still shows shareholders there is a degree of alignment between management and themselves.
While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations over US$8.0b, like IDEXX Laboratories, the median CEO pay is around US$12m.
IDEXX Laboratories offered total compensation worth US$9.8m to its CEO in the year to December 2022. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.
Does IDEXX Laboratories Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into IDEXX Laboratories' strong EPS growth. If you still have your doubts, remember too that company insiders have a considerable investment aligning themselves with the shareholders and CEO pay is quite modest compared to similarly sized companiess. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to investing but it definitely makes IDEXX Laboratories look rather interesting indeed. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for IDEXX Laboratories you should know about.
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.
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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.
