Does ANI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ANIP) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

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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 ANI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ANIP), 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. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, unless its owners have an endless appetite for subsidizing the customer, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else breathe its last breath.

Check out our latest analysis for ANI Pharmaceuticals

ANI Pharmaceuticals'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. It certainly is nice to see that ANI Pharmaceuticals has managed to grow EPS by 19% per year over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away winners.

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 ANI Pharmaceuticals's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 14% to US$215m. That's progress.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

NasdaqGM:ANIP Income Statement, October 12th 2019
NasdaqGM:ANIP Income Statement, October 12th 2019

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 ANI Pharmaceuticals's future profits.

Are ANI Pharmaceuticals 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 ANI Pharmaceuticals insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. To be specific, they have US$31m worth of shares. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Despite being just 3.6% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.

Does ANI Pharmaceuticals Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

For growth investors like me, ANI Pharmaceuticals's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. Further, the high level of insider buying impresses me, and suggests that I'm not the only one who appreciates the EPS growth. So this is very likely the kind of business that I like to spend time researching, with a view to discerning its true value. Of course, just because ANI Pharmaceuticals is growing does not mean it is undervalued. If you're wondering about the valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to 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

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.

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. Thank you for reading.

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