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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. 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.

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 Jiangsu New Energy Development (SHSE:603693). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

Check out our latest analysis for Jiangsu New Energy Development

How Fast Is Jiangsu New Energy Development Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Even when EPS earnings per share (EPS) growth is unexceptional, company value can be created if this rate is sustained each year. So EPS growth can certainly encourage an investor to take note of a stock. Jiangsu New Energy Development's EPS shot up from CN¥0.37 to CN¥0.53; a result that's bound to keep shareholders happy. That's a impressive gain of 45%.

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. Despite consistency in EBIT margins year on year, Jiangsu New Energy Development has actually recorded a dip in revenue. Suffice it to say that is not a great sign of growth.

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 Jiangsu New Energy Development's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are Jiangsu New Energy Development Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Prior to investment, it's always a good idea to check that the management team is paid reasonably. Pay levels around or below the median, can be a sign that shareholder interests are well considered. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Jiangsu New Energy Development with market caps between CN¥7.1b and CN¥23b is about CN¥1.3m.

The Jiangsu New Energy Development CEO received CN¥638k in compensation for the year ending December 2022. That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Should You Add Jiangsu New Energy Development To Your Watchlist?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Jiangsu New Energy Development's strong EPS growth. With swiftly growing earnings, the best days may still be to come, and the modest CEO pay suggests the company is careful with cash. Based on these factors, this stock may well deserve a spot on your watchlist, or even a little further research. Still, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Jiangsu New Energy Development.

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.

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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.