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Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.'
In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Morgan Sindall Group (LON:MGNS), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.
Check out our latest analysis for Morgan Sindall Group
How Fast Is Morgan Sindall Group Growing?
The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so share price follows earnings per share (EPS) eventually. It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. Morgan Sindall Group managed to grow EPS by 13% per year, over three years. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.
I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). While we note Morgan Sindall Group's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 5.9% to UK£3.2b. That's progress.
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Morgan Sindall Group's forecast profits?
Are Morgan Sindall Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
I like company leaders to have some skin in the game, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. So it is good to see that Morgan Sindall Group insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. With a whopping UK£72m worth of shares as a group, insiders have plenty riding on the company's success. That holding amounts to 8.2% of the stock on issue, thus making insiders influential, and aligned, owners of the business.
Should You Add Morgan Sindall Group To Your Watchlist?
As I already mentioned, Morgan Sindall Group is a growing business, which is what I like to see. Just as polish makes silverware pop, the high level of insider ownership enhances my enthusiasm for this growth. The combination sparks joy for me, so I'd consider keeping the company on a watchlist. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Morgan Sindall Group , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.