Advertisement
Canada markets close in 5 hours 52 minutes
  • S&P/TSX

    22,305.90
    +46.43 (+0.21%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,188.33
    +7.59 (+0.15%)
     
  • DOW

    38,949.52
    +97.25 (+0.25%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7307
    -0.0014 (-0.20%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    77.99
    -0.49 (-0.62%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    86,670.35
    -925.93 (-1.06%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,311.15
    -53.98 (-3.95%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,327.40
    -3.80 (-0.16%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,065.43
    +4.75 (+0.23%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.4490
    -0.0400 (-0.89%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    16,341.10
    -8.14 (-0.05%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    13.58
    +0.09 (+0.67%)
     
  • FTSE

    8,329.65
    +116.16 (+1.41%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    38,835.10
    +599.03 (+1.57%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6774
    -0.0018 (-0.27%)
     

Here's Why Designer Brands (NYSE:DBI) Has Caught The Eye Of Investors

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 as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' 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 Designer Brands (NYSE:DBI), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Designer Brands

How Fast Is Designer Brands Growing?

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. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. It certainly is nice to see that Designer Brands has managed to grow EPS by 27% per year over three years. If growth like this continues on into the future, then shareholders will have plenty to smile about. Getting in to the the finer details, it important to know that the EPS growth has been helped by share buybacks, demonstrating that the business is positioned to return capital to its shareholders.

ADVERTISEMENT

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. EBIT margins for Designer Brands remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 3.8% to US$3.3b. That's a real positive.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Designer Brands.

Are Designer Brands Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's pleasing to see company leaders with putting their money on the line, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own Designer Brands shares worth a considerable sum. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$124m. That equates to 21% of the company, making insiders powerful and aligned with other shareholders. Very encouraging.

Is Designer Brands Worth Keeping An Eye On?

You can't deny that Designer Brands has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. Further, the high level of insider ownership is impressive and suggests that the management appreciates the EPS growth and has faith in Designer Brands' continuing strength. 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. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Designer Brands (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.

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 free list of them here.

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.

Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here