Sigachi Industries Limited's (NSE:SIGACHI) healthy profit numbers didn't contain any surprises for investors. We believe that shareholders have noticed some concerning factors beyond the statutory profit numbers.
To understand the value of a company's earnings growth, it is imperative to consider any dilution of shareholders' interests. Sigachi Industries expanded the number of shares on issue by 16% over the last year. That means its earnings are split among a greater number of shares. Per share metrics like EPS help us understand how much actual shareholders are benefitting from the company's profits, while the net income level gives us a better view of the company's absolute size. Check out Sigachi Industries' historical EPS growth by clicking on this link.
As you can see above, Sigachi Industries has been growing its net income over the last few years, with an annualized gain of 74% over three years. In comparison, earnings per share only gained 33% over the same period. And at a glance the 22% gain in profit over the last year impresses. But in comparison, EPS only increased by 14% over the same period. So you can see that the dilution has had a bit of an impact on shareholders.
Changes in the share price do tend to reflect changes in earnings per share, in the long run. So Sigachi Industries shareholders will want to see that EPS figure continue to increase. However, if its profit increases while its earnings per share stay flat (or even fall) then shareholders might not see much benefit. For that reason, you could say that EPS is more important that net income in the long run, assuming the goal is to assess whether a company's share price might grow.
Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Sigachi Industries.
Each Sigachi Industries share now gets a meaningfully smaller slice of its overall profit, due to dilution of existing shareholders. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Sigachi Industries' true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. Nonetheless, it's still worth noting that its earnings per share have grown at 33% over the last three years. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Sigachi Industries at this point in time. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Sigachi Industries.
Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Sigachi Industries' profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.
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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.