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. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Golden Pharos Berhad (KLSE:GPHAROS). 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.

View our latest analysis for Golden Pharos Berhad

How Fast Is Golden Pharos Berhad Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

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. Commendations have to be given in seeing that Golden Pharos Berhad grew its EPS from RM0.0048 to RM0.085, in one short year. When you see earnings grow that quickly, it often means good things ahead for the company. 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 good news is that Golden Pharos Berhad is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 20.2 percentage points to 21%, over the last year. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in our book.

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.

Since Golden Pharos Berhad is no giant, with a market capitalisation of RM39m, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are Golden Pharos Berhad Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's a good habit to check into a company's remuneration policies to ensure that the CEO and management team aren't putting their own interests before that of the shareholder with excessive salary packages. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Golden Pharos Berhad, with market caps under RM880m is around RM481k.

The CEO of Golden Pharos Berhad was paid just RM182k in total compensation for the year ending December 2021. This could be considered a token amount, and indicates that the company does not need to use payment to motivate the CEO - that is often a good sign. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Is Golden Pharos Berhad Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Golden Pharos Berhad's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. This appreciable increase in earnings could be a sign of an upward trajectory for the company. At the same time the reasonable CEO compensation reflects well on the board of directors. It will definitely require further research to be sure, but it does seem that Golden Pharos Berhad has the hallmarks of a quality business; and that would make it well worth watching. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Golden Pharos Berhad (of which 1 is a bit concerning!) you should know about.

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access 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.

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