Do Adient’s (NYSE:ADNT) Earnings Warrant Your Attention?

Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering ‘the next big thing’, even if that means buying ‘story stocks’ without any revenue, let alone profit. 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.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Adient (NYSE:ADNT), 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.

View our latest analysis for Adient

How Fast Is Adient Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Strong earnings per share (EPS) results are an indicator of a company achieving solid profits, which investors look upon favourably and so the share price tends to reflect great EPS performance. Which is why EPS growth is looked upon so favourably. Commendations have to be given in seeing that Adient grew its EPS from US$1.19 to US$8.39, in one short year. Even though that growth rate may not be repeated, that looks like a breakout improvement.

One way to double-check a company’s growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. While Adient may have maintained EBIT margins over the last year, revenue has fallen. This does not bode too well for short term growth prospects and so understanding the reasons for these results is of great importance.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

earnings-and-revenue-history

earnings-and-revenue-history

You don’t drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for Adient’s future profits.

Are Adient Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It’s a necessity that company leaders act in the best interest of shareholders and so insider investment always comes as a reassurance to the market. So it is good to see that Adient insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Indeed, they hold US$27m worth of its stock. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. Despite being just 0.9% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.

Does Adient Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

Adient’s earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. That sort of growth is nothing short of eye-catching, and the large investment held by insiders should certainly brighten the view of the company. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there’s a potential opportunity to be had here. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching Adient very closely. Still, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we’ve spotted with Adient (including 2 which are a bit concerning).

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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