Yahoo Finance Should You Be Adding Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY) To Your Watchlist Today?
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It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. But as Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.
In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.
See our latest analysis for Lloyds Banking Group
How Fast Is Lloyds Banking Group Growing Its Earnings Per Share?
Over the last three years, Lloyds Banking Group has grown earnings per share (EPS) like young bamboo after rain; fast, and from a low base. So I don't think the percent growth rate is particularly meaningful. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Lloyds Banking Group has grown its trailing twelve month EPS from UK£0.053 to UK£0.056, in the last year. That's a modest gain of 5.4%.
I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). Not all of Lloyds Banking Group's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers I've used might not be the best representation of the underlying business. It seems Lloyds Banking Group is pretty stable, since revenue and EBIT margins are pretty flat year on year. That's not a major concern but nor does it point to the long term growth we like to see.
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.
Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Lloyds Banking Group's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.
Are Lloyds Banking Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a UK£40b company like Lloyds Banking Group. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Given insiders own a small fortune of shares, currently valued at UK£51m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. That's certainly enough to make me think that management will be very focussed on long term growth.
Should You Add Lloyds Banking Group To Your Watchlist?
As I already mentioned, Lloyds Banking Group is a growing business, which is what I like to see. If that's not enough on its own, there is also the rather notable levels of insider ownership. The combination sparks joy for me, so I'd consider keeping the company on a watchlist. Of course, just because Lloyds Banking Group is growing does not mean it is undervalued. If you're wondering about the valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.
Although Lloyds Banking Group certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction
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