Here's Why We Think First Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNLC) Might Deserve Your Attention Today
For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.
If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in First Bancorp (NASDAQ:FNLC). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.
Check out our latest analysis for First Bancorp
How Quickly Is First Bancorp Increasing Earnings Per Share?
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Over the last three years, First Bancorp has grown EPS by 15% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.
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. Not all of First Bancorp's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers used in this article might not be the best representation of the underlying business. EBIT margins for First Bancorp remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 16% to US$93m. That's encouraging news for the company!
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.
While profitability drives the upside, prudent investors always check the balance sheet, too.
Are First Bancorp Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. Because often, 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.
Our analysis into First Bancorp has shown that insiders have sold US$43k worth of shares over the last 12 months. This falls short of the share acquisition by Independent Director Kimberly Swan, who has acquired US$151k worth of shares, at an average price of US$30.15. And that's a reason to be optimistic.
On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that First Bancorp insiders have a valuable investment in the business. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at US$23m. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. As a percentage, this totals to 7.0% of the shares on issue for the business, an appreciable amount considering the market cap.
Shareholders have more to smile about than just insiders adding more shares to their already sizeable holdings. That's because on our analysis the CEO, Tony McKim, is paid less than the median for similar sized companies. For companies with market capitalisations between US$200m and US$800m, like First Bancorp, the median CEO pay is around US$2.8m.
The CEO of First Bancorp only received US$1.1m in total compensation for the year ending December 2021. That's clearly well below average, so at a glance that arrangement seems generous to shareholders and points to a modest remuneration culture. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.
Is First Bancorp Worth Keeping An Eye On?
As previously touched on, First Bancorp is a growing business, which is encouraging. In addition, insiders have been busy adding to their sizeable holdings in the company. That should do plenty in prompting budding investors to undertake a bit more research - or even adding the company to their watchlists. Now, you could try to make up your mind on First Bancorp by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.
The good news is that First Bancorp is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here's a list of them... with insider buying in the last three months!
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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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