Here's Why I Think Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (NZSE:FPH) 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 completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.
In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (NZSE:FPH), which has not only revenues, but also profits. 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. 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.
See our latest analysis for Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
How Quickly Is Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Increasing Earnings Per Share?
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. It certainly is nice to see that Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has managed to grow EPS by 19% per year over three years. As a result, we can understand why the stock trades on a high multiple of trailing twelve month earnings.
I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. While we note Fisher & Paykel Healthcare's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 18% to NZ$1.3b. That's a real positive.
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.
Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.
Are Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Since Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has a market capitalization of NZ$20b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. To be specific, they have NZ$71m worth of shares. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that's only about 0.4% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.
It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalizations over NZ$12b, like Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, the median CEO pay is around NZ$5.8m.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare offered total compensation worth NZ$3.2m to its CEO in the year to . That seems pretty reasonable, especially given its below the median for similar sized companies. 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. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.
Does Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
For growth investors like me, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. If you need more convincing beyond that EPS growth rate, don't forget about the reasonable remuneration and the high insider ownership. This may only be a fast rundown, but the takeaway for me is that Fisher & Paykel Healthcare is worth keeping an eye on. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Fisher & Paykel Healthcare you should be aware of.
Although Fisher & Paykel Healthcare certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.
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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