Advertisement
U.S. markets open in 1 hour 59 minutes
  • S&P Futures

    5,194.25
    -20.50 (-0.39%)
     
  • Dow Futures

    39,140.00
    -83.00 (-0.21%)
     
  • Nasdaq Futures

    18,130.75
    -100.75 (-0.55%)
     
  • Russell 2000 Futures

    2,042.40
    -7.40 (-0.36%)
     
  • Crude Oil

    82.69
    -0.03 (-0.04%)
     
  • Gold

    2,158.50
    -5.80 (-0.27%)
     
  • Silver

    25.16
    -0.11 (-0.44%)
     
  • EUR/USD

    1.0848
    -0.0028 (-0.26%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.3400
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     
  • Vix

    14.76
    +0.43 (+3.00%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2690
    -0.0038 (-0.30%)
     
  • USD/JPY

    150.4400
    +1.3420 (+0.90%)
     
  • Bitcoin USD

    62,501.29
    -5,848.96 (-8.56%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • FTSE 100

    7,703.88
    -18.67 (-0.24%)
     
  • Nikkei 225

    40,003.60
    +263.20 (+0.66%)
     

Should You Be Adding Corcept Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CORT) To Your Watchlist Today?

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 Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.

So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Corcept Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CORT). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

View our latest analysis for Corcept Therapeutics

Corcept Therapeutics's Improving Profits

Over the last three years, Corcept Therapeutics has grown earnings per share (EPS) like young bamboo after rain; fast, and from a low base. So I don't think the percent growth rate is particularly meaningful. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Like a falcon taking flight, Corcept Therapeutics's EPS soared from US$0.65 to US$0.82, over the last year. That's a impressive gain of 26%.

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. While we note Corcept Therapeutics's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 22% to US$306m. That's a real positive.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

NasdaqCM:CORT Income Statement April 22nd 2020
NasdaqCM:CORT Income Statement April 22nd 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 Corcept Therapeutics EPS 100% free.

Are Corcept Therapeutics Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It makes me feel more secure owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, thusly more closely aligning our interests. As a result, I'm encouraged by the fact that insiders own Corcept Therapeutics shares worth a considerable sum. Notably, they have an enormous stake in the company, worth US$136m. I would find that kind of skin in the game quite encouraging, if I owned shares, since it would ensure that the leaders of the company would also experience my success, or failure, with the stock.

Is Corcept Therapeutics Worth Keeping An Eye On?

You can't deny that Corcept Therapeutics has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. I think that EPS growth is something to boast of, and it doesn't surprise me that insiders are holding on to a considerable chunk of shares. Fast growth and confident insiders should be enough to warrant further research. So the answer is that I do think this is a good stock to follow along with. Now, you could try to make up your mind on Corcept Therapeutics by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.

Advertisement