Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' Loss making companies can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.
In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like AYER Holdings Berhad (KLSE:AYER), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.
View our latest analysis for AYER Holdings Berhad
How Quickly Is AYER Holdings Berhad 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. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. To the delight of shareholders, AYER Holdings Berhad has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 58%, 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.
One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. On the revenue front, AYER Holdings Berhad has done well over the past year, growing revenue by 64% to RM136m but EBIT margin figures were less stellar, seeing a decline over the last 12 months. So if EBIT margins can stabilize, this top-line growth should pay off for shareholders.
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.
AYER Holdings Berhad isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of RM539m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.
Are AYER Holdings Berhad Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Theory would suggest that it's an encouraging sign to see high insider ownership of a company, since it ties company performance directly to the financial success of its management. So we're pleased to report that AYER Holdings Berhad insiders own a meaningful share of the business. In fact, they own 62% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. This makes it apparent they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - a positive for shareholders with a sit and hold strategy. With that sort of holding, insiders have about RM336m riding on the stock, at current prices. That's nothing to sneeze at!