Yahoo Finance With EPS Growth And More, Digital Turbine (NASDAQ:APPS) Is Interesting
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 completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.
In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like Digital Turbine (NASDAQ:APPS). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, unless its owners have an endless appetite for subsidizing the customer, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else breathe its last breath.
Check out our latest analysis for Digital Turbine
How Fast Is Digital Turbine Growing Its Earnings Per Share?
In the last three years Digital Turbine's earnings per share took off like a rocket; fast, and from a low base. So the actual rate of growth doesn't tell us much. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Over twelve months, Digital Turbine increased its EPS from US$0.44 to US$0.47. That's a modest gain of 6.0%.
I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). On the one hand, Digital Turbine's EBIT margins fell over the last year, but on the other hand, revenue grew. So it seems the future my hold further growth, especially if EBIT margins can stabilize.
In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Digital Turbine's forecast profits?
Are Digital Turbine Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Like the kids in the streets standing up for their beliefs, insider share purchases give me reason to believe in a brighter future. Because oftentimes, the purchase of stock is a sign that the buyer views it as undervalued. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.
Over the last 12 months Digital Turbine insiders spent US$100k more buying shares than they received from selling them. Although I don't particularly like to see selling, the fact that they put more capital in, than they extracted, is a positive in my mind. It is also worth noting that it was Independent Chairman of the Board Robert Deutschman who made the biggest single purchase, worth US$475k, paying US$31.66 per share.
The good news, alongside the insider buying, for Digital Turbine bulls is that insiders (collectively) have a meaningful investment in the stock. With a whopping US$98m worth of shares as a group, insiders have plenty riding on the company's success. That's certainly enough to make me think that management will be very focussed on long term growth.
While insiders already own a significant amount of shares, and they have been buying more, the good news for ordinary shareholders does not stop there. That's because on our analysis the CEO, Bill Stone, is paid less than the median for similar sized companies. I discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Digital Turbine with market caps between US$2.0b and US$6.4b is about US$6.6m.
The CEO of Digital Turbine only received US$2.3m in total compensation for the year ending . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. While the level of CEO compensation isn't a huge factor in my view of the company, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.
Is Digital Turbine Worth Keeping An Eye On?
One positive for Digital Turbine is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Better yet, insiders are significant shareholders, and have been buying more shares. That makes the company a prime candidate for my watchlist - and arguably a research priority. We should say that we've discovered 6 warning signs for Digital Turbine (1 is potentially serious!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Digital Turbine, you'll probably love this free list 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.
