Do Hiscox's (LON:HSX) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?
It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.
So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Hiscox (LON:HSX). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.
Check out our latest analysis for Hiscox
Hiscox's Improving Profits
Hiscox has undergone a massive growth in earnings per share over the last three years. So much so that this three year growth rate wouldn't be a fair assessment of the company's future. As a result, we'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. In impressive fashion, Hiscox's EPS grew from US$0.30 to US$0.74, over the previous 12 months. It's not often a company can achieve year-on-year growth of 145%.
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. The good news is that Hiscox is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 8.8 percentage points to 12%, over the last year. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.
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 Hiscox's future profits.
Are Hiscox Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Insider interest in a company always sparks a bit of intrigue and many investors are on the lookout for companies where insiders are putting their money where their mouth is. Because often, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.
Any way you look at it Hiscox shareholders can gain quiet confidence from the fact that insiders shelled out US$448k to buy stock, over the last year. This, combined with the lack of sales from insiders, should be a great signal for shareholders in what's to come. It is also worth noting that it was Group CEO & Executive Director Hamayou Hussain who made the biggest single purchase, worth UK£151k, paying UK£10.04 per share.
Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for Hiscox is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at US$18m. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Despite being just 0.5% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.
While insiders are apparently happy to hold and accumulate shares, that is just part of the big picture. The cherry on top is that the CEO, Aki Hussain is paid comparatively modestly to CEOs at similar sized companies. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Hiscox with market caps between US$2.0b and US$6.4b is about US$2.6m.
Hiscox offered total compensation worth US$1.7m to its CEO in the year to December 2022. That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies. 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. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.
Does Hiscox Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
Hiscox's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. Just as heartening; insiders both own and are buying more stock. This quick rundown suggests that the business may be of good quality, and also at an inflection point, so maybe Hiscox deserves timely attention. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Hiscox that you should be aware of.
Keen growth investors love to see insider buying. Thankfully, Hiscox isn't the only one. You can see a a free list of them here.
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.
