Do Richardson Electronics' (NASDAQ:RELL) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?
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. 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.
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 Richardson Electronics (NASDAQ:RELL). 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 Richardson Electronics
Richardson Electronics' Improving Profits
In business, profits are a key measure of success; and share prices tend to reflect earnings per share (EPS) performance. Which is why EPS growth is looked upon so favourably. It's an outstanding feat for Richardson Electronics to have grown EPS from US$0.12 to US$1.30 in just one year. While it's difficult to sustain growth at that level, it bodes well for the company's outlook for the future. Could this be a sign that the business has reached an inflection point?
It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. The music to the ears of Richardson Electronics shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 2.5% to 7.1% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. That's great to see, on both counts.
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
Richardson Electronics isn't a huge company, given its market capitalisation of US$233m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.
Are Richardson Electronics Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
It's pleasing to see company leaders with putting their money on the line, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. Richardson Electronics followers will find comfort in knowing that insiders have a significant amount of capital that aligns their best interests with the wider shareholder group. Holding US$53m worth of stock in the company is no laughing matter and insiders will be committed in delivering the best outcomes for shareholders. Amounting to 23% of the outstanding shares, indicating that insiders are also significantly impacted by the decisions they make on the behalf of the business.
It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Richardson Electronics, with market caps between US$100m and US$400m, is around US$1.7m.
The Richardson Electronics CEO received US$1.2m in compensation for the year ending May 2021. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it's reasonable, that gives a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.
Is Richardson Electronics Worth Keeping An Eye On?
Richardson Electronics' earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The sharp increase in earnings could signal good business momentum. Richardson Electronics is certainly doing some things right and is well worth investigating. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Richardson Electronics you should be aware of, and 1 of them is potentially serious.
The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies 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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