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 completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses.
If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Casey’s General Stores (NASDAQ:CASY). Now, I’m not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can’t shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. 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.
See our latest analysis for Casey’s General Stores
Casey’s General Stores’s Earnings Per Share Are Growing.
As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Casey’s General Stores managed to grow EPS by 7.4% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn’t amazing, it does show the business is growing.
One way to double-check a company’s growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Casey’s General Stores maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 2.0% to US$8.5b. That’s progress.
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.
NasdaqGS:CASY Income Statement April 10th 2020
The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. To that end, right now and today, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for future Casey’s General Stores EPS 100% free.
Are Casey’s General Stores Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Since Casey’s General Stores has a market capitalization of US$5.3b, we wouldn’t expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Indeed, they hold US$24m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that’s only about 0.5% of the company, it’s enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.
Should You Add Casey’s General Stores To Your Watchlist?
One positive for Casey’s General Stores is that it is growing EPS. That’s nice 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. However, before you get too excited we’ve discovered 2 warning signs for Casey’s General Stores that you should be aware of.
Although Casey’s General Stores certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, 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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