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.' 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 Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd (SZSE:300681). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

How Fast Is Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd 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 makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. To the delight of shareholders, Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 40%, compound, over the last three years. Growth that fast may well be fleeting, but it should be more than enough to pique the interest of the wary stock pickers.

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. Our analysis has highlighted that Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd's revenue from operations did not account for all of their revenue in the previous 12 months, so our analysis of its margins might not accurately reflect the underlying business. The good news is that Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 3.2 percentage points to 1.2%, over the last year. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. 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 Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd's balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.

Are Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd 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 as you can imagine, the fact that Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd insiders own a significant number of shares certainly is appealing. Actually, with 42% of the company to their names, insiders are profoundly invested in the business. Those who are comforted by solid insider ownership like this should be happy, as it implies that those running the business are genuinely motivated to create shareholder value. at the current share price. That level of investment from insiders is nothing to sneeze at.

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd with market caps between CN¥2.9b and CN¥12b is about CN¥958k.

Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd offered total compensation worth CN¥621k to its CEO in the year to December 2023. That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies. 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 Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The strong EPS improvement suggests the businesses is humming along. Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd is worth considering carefully. You still need to take note of risks, for example - Zhuhai Enpower ElectricLtd has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

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 tailored list of Chinese companies which have demonstrated growth backed by significant insider holdings.

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.