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. Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.
In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Sahana System (NSE:SAHANA), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.
View our latest analysis for Sahana System
In the last three years Sahana System's earnings per share took off; so much so that it's a bit disingenuous to use these figures to try and deduce long term estimates. As a result, we'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. In impressive fashion, Sahana System's EPS grew from ₹11.14 to ₹22.77, over the previous 12 months. It's a rarity to see 104% year-on-year growth like that. Shareholders will be hopeful that this is a sign of the company reaching an inflection point.
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. On the revenue front, Sahana System has done well over the past year, growing revenue by 186% to ₹690m but EBIT margin figures were less stellar, seeing a decline over the last 12 months. If EBIT margins are able to stay balanced and this revenue growth continues, then we should see brighter days ahead.
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
Since Sahana System is no giant, with a market capitalisation of ₹9.5b, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.
Many consider high insider ownership to be a strong sign of alignment between the leaders of a company and the ordinary shareholders. So as you can imagine, the fact that Sahana System insiders own a significant number of shares certainly is appealing. In fact, they own 75% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. Intuition will tell you this is a good sign because it suggests they will be incentivised to build value for shareholders over the long term. In terms of absolute value, insiders have ₹7.1b invested in the business, at the current share price. That should be more than enough to keep them focussed on creating shareholder value!
Sahana System's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. That EPS growth certainly is attention grabbing, and the large insider ownership only serves to further stoke our interest. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching Sahana System very closely. Another important measure of business quality not discussed here, is return on equity (ROE). Click on this link to see how Sahana System shapes up to industry peers, when it comes to ROE.
Although Sahana System certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with more skin in the game, then check out this handpicked selection of Indian companies that not only boast of strong growth but have strong insider backing.
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.