It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' 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.
So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Sarda Energy & Minerals (NSE:SARDAEN). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.
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. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. We can see that in the last three years Sarda Energy & Minerals grew its EPS by 5.7% per year. This may not be setting the world alight, but it does show that EPS is on the upwards trend.
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. Sarda Energy & Minerals shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 17% to 24%, and revenue is growing. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.
See our latest analysis for Sarda Energy & Minerals
While profitability drives the upside, prudent investors always check the balance sheet, too.
It's a necessity that company leaders act in the best interest of shareholders and so insider investment always comes as a reassurance to the market. Sarda Energy & Minerals followers will find comfort in knowing that insiders have a significant amount of capital that aligns their best interests with the wider shareholder group. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at ₹41b. Coming in at 21% of the business, that holding gives insiders a lot of influence, and plenty of reason to generate value for shareholders. Looking very optimistic for investors.
One important encouraging feature of Sarda Energy & Minerals is that it is growing profits. To add an extra spark to the fire, significant insider ownership in the company is another highlight. These two factors are a huge highlight for the company which should be a strong contender your watchlists. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Sarda Energy & Minerals that you should be aware of.
Although Sarda Energy & Minerals 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.