Advertisement
UK markets open in 8 minutes
  • NIKKEI 225

    37,628.48
    -831.60 (-2.16%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    17,247.97
    +46.70 (+0.27%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.88
    +0.07 (+0.08%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,332.90
    -5.50 (-0.24%)
     
  • DOW

    38,460.92
    -42.77 (-0.11%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    51,415.46
    -2,017.60 (-3.78%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,392.57
    +9.99 (+0.72%)
     
  • NASDAQ Composite

    15,712.75
    +16.11 (+0.10%)
     
  • UK FTSE All Share

    4,374.06
    -4.69 (-0.11%)
     

Is Now The Time To Put Investec Group (JSE:INL) On Your Watchlist?

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. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

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 Investec Group (JSE:INL). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Investec Group with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Investec Group

Investec Group's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

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. To the delight of shareholders, Investec Group has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 38%, compound, over the last three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches the eye of prospective investors.

ADVERTISEMENT

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. It's noted that Investec Group's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. EBIT margins for Investec Group remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 19% to UK£2.1b. That's progress.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. While crystal balls don't exist, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for Investec Group's future EPS 100% free.

Are Investec Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's pleasing to see company leaders with putting their money on the line, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. So it is good to see that Investec Group insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at UK£410m. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. While their ownership only accounts for 0.5%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.

Should You Add Investec Group To Your Watchlist?

Investec Group's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. This level of EPS growth does wonders for attracting investment, and the large insider investment in the company is just the cherry on top. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. So at the surface level, Investec Group is worth putting on your watchlist; after all, shareholders do well when the market underestimates fast growing companies. Before you take the next step you should know about the 2 warning signs for Investec Group (1 is potentially serious!) that we have uncovered.

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

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.

Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here