We Ran A Stock Scan For Earnings Growth And China East Education Holdings (HKG:667) 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. 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.

So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like China East Education Holdings (HKG:667). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free.

How Quickly Is China East Education Holdings Increasing Earnings Per Share?

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Impressively, China East Education Holdings has grown EPS by 27% per year, compound, in the last three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be beaming.

Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. The good news is that China East Education Holdings is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 8.2 percentage points to 19%, over the last year. That's great to see, on both counts.

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.

Check out our latest analysis for China East Education Holdings

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of China East Education Holdings' future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are China East Education Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Many consider high insider ownership to be a strong sign of alignment between the leaders of a company and the ordinary shareholders. So those who are interested in China East Education Holdings will be delighted to know that insiders have shown their belief, holding a large proportion of the company's shares. In fact, they own 71% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. Intuition will tell you this is a good sign because it suggests they will be incentivised to build value for shareholders over the long term. CN¥11b This is an incredible endorsement from them.

Is China East Education Holdings Worth Keeping An Eye On?

If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into China East Education Holdings' strong EPS growth. This EPS growth rate is something the company should be proud of, and so it's no surprise that insiders are holding on to a considerable chunk of shares. On the balance of its merits, solid EPS growth and company insiders who are aligned with the shareholders would indicate a business that is worthy of further research. Before you take the next step you should know about the 2 warning signs for China East Education Holdings that we have uncovered.

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 tailored list of Hong Kong companies which have demonstrated growth backed by significant insider holdings.

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.