Do Sunland Group's (ASX:SDG) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

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. 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.

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 Sunland Group (ASX:SDG). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

View our latest analysis for Sunland Group

How Fast Is Sunland Group Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Investors and investment funds chase profits, and that means share prices tend rise with positive earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. So for many budding investors, improving EPS is considered a good sign. It's an outstanding feat for Sunland Group to have grown EPS from AU$0.18 to AU$0.69 in just one year. When you see earnings grow that quickly, it often means good things ahead for the company. Could this be a sign that the business has reached an inflection point?

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. The good news is that Sunland Group is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 5.5 percentage points to 16%, over the last year. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Sunland Group isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of AU$329m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Sunland Group 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. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own Sunland Group shares worth a considerable sum. With a whopping AU$99m worth of shares as a group, insiders have plenty riding on the company's success. At 30% of the company, the co-investment by insiders fosters confidence that management will make long-term focussed decisions.

Should You Add Sunland Group To Your Watchlist?

Sunland Group's earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. That EPS growth certainly is attention grabbing, and the large insider ownership only serves to further stoke our interest. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching Sunland Group very closely. Still, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Sunland Group.

Although Sunland Group certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

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.

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