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. 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.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like G8 Education (ASX:GEM), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

See our latest analysis for G8 Education

G8 Education's Improving Profits

In the last three years G8 Education's earnings per share took off; so much so that it's a bit disingenuous to use these figures to try and deduce long term estimates. As a result, we'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. To the delight of shareholders, G8 Education's EPS soared from AU$0.036 to AU$0.053, over the last year. That's a commendable gain of 46%.

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. G8 Education maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 9.0% to AU$939m. 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

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of G8 Education's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are G8 Education Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.



We note that G8 Education insiders spent AU$144k on stock, over the last year; in contrast, we didn't see any selling. That paints the company in a nice light, as it signals that its leaders are feeling confident in where the company is heading.

Is G8 Education Worth Keeping An Eye On?

You can't deny that G8 Education has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. The growth rate should be enticing enough to consider researching the company, and the insider buying is a great added bonus. To put it succinctly; G8 Education is a strong candidate for your watchlist. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk.  We've identified 1 warning sign  with G8 Education , and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of G8 Education, you'll probably love this freelist of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

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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.