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. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. 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 Jacobs Engineering Group (NYSE:J). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Jacobs Engineering Group with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.
How Quickly Is Jacobs Engineering Group Increasing Earnings Per Share?
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, Jacobs Engineering Group has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 38%, 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.
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. EBIT margins for Jacobs Engineering Group remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 4.3% to US$15b. That's encouraging news for the company!
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 Jacobs Engineering Group's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.
Are Jacobs Engineering Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Since Jacobs Engineering Group has a market capitalisation of US$16b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. We note that their impressive stake in the company is worth US$139m. We note that this amounts to 0.9% of the company, which may be small owing to the sheer size of Jacobs Engineering Group but it's still worth mentioning. This still shows shareholders there is a degree of alignment between management and themselves.
Should You Add Jacobs Engineering Group To Your Watchlist?
Jacobs Engineering Group's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. This level of EPS growth does wonders for attracting investment, and the large insider investment in the company is just the cherry on top. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there's a potential opportunity to be had here. So based on this quick analysis, we do think it's worth considering Jacobs Engineering Group for a spot on your watchlist. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Jacobs Engineering Group that 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 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.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
