Yahoo Finance Do ARC Document Solutions' (NYSE:ARC) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?
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. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.
Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like ARC Document Solutions (NYSE:ARC). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide ARC Document Solutions with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.
View our latest analysis for ARC Document Solutions
How Quickly Is ARC Document Solutions Increasing Earnings Per Share?
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. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Impressively, ARC Document Solutions has grown EPS by 30% per year, compound, in the last three years. If growth like this continues on into the future, then shareholders will have plenty to smile about.
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. EBIT margins for ARC Document Solutions remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 6.9% to US$286m. That's a real positive.
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.
Since ARC Document Solutions is no giant, with a market capitalisation of US$127m, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.
Are ARC Document Solutions Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Investors are always searching for a vote of confidence in the companies they hold and insider buying is one of the key indicators for optimism on the market. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.
Insiders in ARC Document Solutions both added to and reduced their holdings over the preceding 12 months. All in all though, their acquisitions outweighed the amount of shares they sold off. At face value we can consider this a fairly encouraging sign for the company. It is also worth noting that it was Independent Director Mark Mealy who made the biggest single purchase, worth US$62k, paying US$3.12 per share.
Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for ARC Document Solutions is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. Indeed, they hold US$19m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. That amounts to 15% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders.
Should You Add ARC Document Solutions To Your Watchlist?
If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into ARC Document Solutions' strong EPS growth. Furthermore, company insiders have been adding to their significant stake in the company. Astute investors will want to keep this stock on watch. You still need to take note of risks, for example - ARC Document Solutions has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of ARC Document Solutions, you'll probably love this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.
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