Should You Be Adding Canadian Pacific Railway (TSE:CP) To Your Watchlist Today?
Some have more dollars than sense, they say, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can easily find investors. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.
In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Canadian Pacific Railway (TSE:CP), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. 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 Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Canadian Pacific Railway managed to grow EPS by 7.0% 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. Canadian Pacific Railway's EBIT margins are flat but, of some concern, its revenue is actually down. And that does make me a little more cautious of the stock.
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 Canadian Pacific Railway's future profits.
Are Canadian Pacific Railway Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Since Canadian Pacific Railway has a market capitalization of CA$65b, 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 CA$17m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that's only about 0.03% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.
Is Canadian Pacific Railway Worth Keeping An Eye On?
One important encouraging feature of Canadian Pacific Railway is that it is growing profits. If that's not enough on its own, there is also the rather notable levels of insider ownership. 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 1 warning sign with Canadian Pacific Railway , and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
Although Canadian Pacific Railway 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.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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