Yahoo Finance Here's Why We Think Cactus (NYSE:WHD) Might Deserve Your Attention Today
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 can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.
So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Cactus (NYSE:WHD). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Cactus with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.
See our latest analysis for Cactus
How Quickly Is Cactus Increasing Earnings Per Share?
The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. To the delight of shareholders, Cactus has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 53%, compound, over the last three years. Growth that fast may well be fleeting, but it should be more than enough to pique the interest of the wary stock pickers.
Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. EBIT margins for Cactus remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 59% to US$1.1b. That's a real positive.
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.
Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Cactus' future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.
Are Cactus Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
It should give investors a sense of security owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, creating a close alignment their interests. So it is good to see that Cactus insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Indeed, they hold US$21m worth of its stock. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. While their ownership only accounts for 0.5%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.
It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalisations between US$2.0b and US$6.4b, like Cactus, the median CEO pay is around US$6.4m.
The CEO of Cactus only received US$2.9m in total compensation for the year ending December 2023. First impressions seem to indicate a compensation policy that is favourable to shareholders. 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. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.
Is Cactus Worth Keeping An Eye On?
Cactus' earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. The cherry on top is that insiders own a bucket-load of shares, and the CEO pay seems really quite reasonable. The strong EPS improvement suggests the businesses is humming along. Cactus certainly ticks a few boxes, so we think it's probably well worth further consideration. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Cactus , and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
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 companies which have demonstrated growth backed by recent insider purchases.
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.
