The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors.  Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.  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 Construction Partners (NASDAQ:ROAD). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

How Quickly Is Construction Partners Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow.  Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS.   Construction Partners managed to grow EPS by 9.1% per year, over three years.   That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.  

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.    Construction Partners shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 1.9% to 5.8%, and revenue is growing.  That's great to see, on both counts.  

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.

NasdaqGS:ROAD Earnings and Revenue History April 6th 2024

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Construction Partners' future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are Construction Partners 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.  Construction Partners followers will find comfort in knowing that insiders have a significant amount of capital that aligns their best interests with the wider shareholder group.     Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$325m.   This suggests that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions!  

While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable.  Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are.    For companies with market capitalisations between US$2.0b and US$6.4b, like Construction Partners, the median CEO pay is around US$6.5m.  

Construction Partners' CEO took home a total compensation package of US$2.4m in the year prior to September 2023.  First impressions seem to indicate a compensation policy that is favourable to shareholders.   CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it's reasonable, that gives a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests.  It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Does Construction Partners Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

One important encouraging feature of Construction Partners is that it is growing profits.   Earnings growth might be the main attraction for Construction Partners, but the fun does not stop there.  With company insiders aligning themselves considerably with the company's success and modest CEO compensation, there's no arguments that this is a stock worth looking into.     Before you take the next step you should know about the 1 warning sign for Construction Partners that we have uncovered.  

While opting for stocks without growing earnings and absent insider buying can yield results, for investors valuing these key metrics, here is a carefully selected list of companies in the US with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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.