Should You Be Adding John B. Sanfilippo & Son (NASDAQ:JBSS) 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. 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.
If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in John B. Sanfilippo & Son (NASDAQ:JBSS). 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 John B. Sanfilippo & Son
John B. Sanfilippo & Son'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. As a tree reaches steadily for the sky, John B. Sanfilippo & Son's EPS has grown 19% each year, compound, over three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be smiling.
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 John B. Sanfilippo & Son may have maintained EBIT margins over the last year, revenue has fallen. 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. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
While it's always good to see growing profits, you should always remember that a weak balance sheet could come back to bite. So check John B. Sanfilippo & Son's balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.
Are John B. Sanfilippo & Son 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 John B. Sanfilippo & Son shares worth a considerable sum. Indeed, they have a glittering mountain of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$124m. This suggests to me that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions!
Should You Add John B. Sanfilippo & Son To Your Watchlist?
Given my belief that share price follows earnings per share you can easily imagine how I feel about John B. Sanfilippo & Son's strong EPS growth. Further, the high level of insider ownership impresses me, and suggests that I'm not the only one who appreciates the EPS growth. 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. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with John B. Sanfilippo & Son , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
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.
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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