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.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.
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 Pangaea Logistics Solutions (NASDAQ:PANL). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.
How Fast Is Pangaea Logistics Solutions Growing Its Earnings Per Share?
Pangaea Logistics Solutions has undergone a massive growth in earnings per share over the last three years. So much so that this three year growth rate wouldn't be a fair assessment of the company's future. Thus, it makes sense to focus on more recent growth rates, instead. Impressively, Pangaea Logistics Solutions' EPS catapulted from US$0.92 to US$1.90, over the last year. Year on year growth of 106% is certainly a sight to behold. That could be a sign that the business has reached a true inflection point.
Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. The good news is that Pangaea Logistics Solutions is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 5.4 percentage points to 14%, 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.
You don't drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Pangaea Logistics Solutions' future profits.
Are Pangaea Logistics Solutions Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.
Belief in the company remains high for insiders as there hasn't been a single share sold by the management or company board members. But the bigger deal is that the Lead Independent Director, Carl Boggild, paid US$100k to buy shares at an average price of US$4.68. Strong buying like that could be a sign of opportunity.
Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for Pangaea Logistics Solutions is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at US$48m. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. That amounts to 22% of the company, demonstrating a degree of high-level alignment with shareholders.
While insiders already own a significant amount of shares, and they have been buying more, the good news for ordinary shareholders does not stop there. That's because on our analysis the CEO, Mark Filanowski, is paid less than the median for similar sized companies. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Pangaea Logistics Solutions with market caps between US$100m and US$400m is about US$1.7m.
Pangaea Logistics Solutions offered total compensation worth US$995k to its CEO in the year to December 2021. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. 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.
Is Pangaea Logistics Solutions Worth Keeping An Eye On?
Pangaea Logistics Solutions' earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. The cherry on top is that insiders own a bunch of shares, and one has been buying more. These factors seem to indicate the company's potential and that it has reached an inflection point. We'd suggest Pangaea Logistics Solutions belongs near the top of your watchlist. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Pangaea Logistics Solutions (at least 2 which are a bit concerning) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
The good news is that Pangaea Logistics Solutions is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here's a list of them... with insider buying in the last three months!
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.
