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. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. 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 Anup Engineering (NSE:ANUP). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.
View our latest analysis for Anup Engineering
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. It certainly is nice to see that Anup Engineering has managed to grow EPS by 26% per year over three years. So it's not surprising to see the company trades on a very high multiple of (past) earnings.
It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. While we note Anup Engineering achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 19% to ₹6.2b. 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.
While profitability drives the upside, prudent investors always check the balance sheet, too.
Insider interest in a company always sparks a bit of intrigue and many investors are on the lookout for companies where insiders are putting their money where their mouth is. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.
It's pleasing to note that insiders spent ₹83m buying Anup Engineering shares, over the last year, without reporting any share sales whatsoever. Knowing this, Anup Engineering will have have all eyes on them in anticipation for the what could happen in the near future. We also note that it was the Additional Independent Director, Gokul Jaykrishna, who made the biggest single acquisition, paying ₹22m for shares at about ₹2,184 each.
On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that Anup Engineering insiders have a valuable investment in the business. With a whopping ₹6.0b worth of shares as a group, insiders have plenty riding on the company's success. Amounting to 8.1% of the outstanding shares, indicating that insiders are also significantly impacted by the decisions they make on the behalf of the business.
For growth investors, Anup Engineering's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. Not only that, but we can see that insiders both own a lot of, and are buying more shares in the company. These things considered, this is one stock worth watching. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Anup Engineering that you should be aware of.
The good news is that Anup Engineering is not the only stock with insider buying. Here's a list of small cap, undervalued companies in IN 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.