Here's Why I Think Diploma (LON:DPLM) Is An Interesting Stock
It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.
So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Diploma (LON:DPLM). 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. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.
See our latest analysis for Diploma
How Quickly Is Diploma Increasing Earnings Per Share?
As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Over the last three years, Diploma has grown EPS by 13% per year. That's a pretty good rate, if the company can sustain it.
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 Diploma's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 11% to UK£568m. That's a real positive.
In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Diploma's forecast profits?
Are Diploma Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Like that fresh smell in the air when the rains are coming, insider buying fills me with optimistic anticipation. Because oftentimes, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.
The first bit of good news is that no Diploma insiders reported share sales in the last twelve months. But the really good news is that CEO & Director Jonathan Thomson spent UK£159k buying stock stock, at an average price of around UK£19.41. To me that means at least one insider thinks that the company is doing well - and they are backing that view with cash.
I do like that insiders have been buying shares in Diploma, but there is more evidence of shareholder friendly management. Specifically, the CEO is paid quite reasonably for a company of this size. For companies with market capitalizations between UK£1.5b and UK£4.9b, like Diploma, the median CEO pay is around UK£1.9m.
Diploma offered total compensation worth UK£1.3m to its CEO in the year to . That comes in below the average for similar sized companies, and seems pretty reasonable to me. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when its reasonable that does give me a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.
Is Diploma Worth Keeping An Eye On?
One important encouraging feature of Diploma is that it is growing profits. Like chocolate chips in vanilla ice cream, the insider buying, and modest CEO pay, make it better. The sum of all that, for me, points to a quality business, and a genuine prospect for further research. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Diploma that you should be aware of.
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Diploma, you'll probably love this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
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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