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 as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd (SZSE:300573). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd's Earnings Per Share Are Growing

If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. It certainly is nice to see that Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd has managed to grow EPS by 21% per year over three years. This has no doubt fuelled the optimism that sees the stock trading on a high multiple of earnings.

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. Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 14% to 18%, and revenue is growing. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.

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.

While it's always good to see growing profits, you should always remember that a weak balance sheet could come back to bite. So check Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd's balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.

Are Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It should give investors a sense of security owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, creating a close alignment their interests. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd shares worth a considerable sum. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth CN¥8.5b. Coming in at 31% of the business, that holding gives insiders a lot of influence, and plenty of reason to generate value for shareholders. Very encouraging.

Does Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd's strong EPS growth. This EPS growth rate is something the company should be proud of, and so it's no surprise that insiders are holding on to a considerable chunk of shares. On the balance of its merits, solid EPS growth and company insiders who are aligned with the shareholders would indicate a business that is worthy of further research. We should say that we've discovered 1 warning sign for Shenyang Xingqi PharmaceuticalLtd that you should be aware of before investing here.

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 CN with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com