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We Ran A Stock Scan For Earnings Growth And USP Group (SGX:BRS) Passed With Ease

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. 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.

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 USP Group (SGX:BRS). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

View our latest analysis for USP Group

USP Group's 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 is awe-striking that USP Group's EPS went from S$0.0014 to S$0.075 in just one year. Even though that growth rate may not be repeated, that looks like a breakout improvement.

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. While revenue is looking a bit flat, the good news is EBIT margins improved by 7.3 percentage points to 8.3%, in the last twelve months. That's a real positive.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

Since USP Group is no giant, with a market capitalisation of S$7.2m, you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.

Are USP Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Seeing insiders owning a large portion of the shares on issue is often a good sign. Their incentives will be aligned with the investors and there's less of a probability in a sudden sell-off that would impact the share price. So we're pleased to report that USP Group insiders own a meaningful share of the business. Indeed, with a collective holding of 77%, company insiders are in control and have plenty of capital behind the venture. This makes it apparent they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - a positive for shareholders with a sit and hold strategy. Although, with USP Group being valued at S$7.2m, this is a small company we're talking about. So despite a large proportional holding, insiders only have S$5.6m worth of stock. That might not be a huge sum but it should be enough to keep insiders motivated!

Is USP Group Worth Keeping An Eye On?

USP Group's earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate. This level of EPS growth does wonders for attracting investment, and the large insider investment in the company is just the cherry on top. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economics. So based on this quick analysis, we do think it's worth considering USP Group for a spot on your watchlist. Even so, be aware that USP Group is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those shouldn't be ignored...

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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