Yahoo Finance Here's Why We Think Nexstar Media Group (NASDAQ:NXST) Is Well Worth Watching
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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.
So if this idea of high risk and high reward doesn't suit, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Nexstar Media Group (NASDAQ:NXST). 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.
View our latest analysis for Nexstar Media Group
Nexstar Media Group's Improving Profits
In the last three years Nexstar Media Group'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, Nexstar Media Group's EPS soared from US$21.83 to US$27.36, over the last year. That's a impressive gain of 25%.
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. While we note Nexstar Media Group achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 4.0% to US$5.0b. That's encouraging news for the company!
You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.
The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. While crystal balls don't exist, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for Nexstar Media Group's future EPS 100% free.
Are Nexstar Media Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a US$6.4b company like Nexstar Media Group. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. Notably, they have an enviable stake in the company, worth US$313m. Holders should find this level of insider commitment quite encouraging, since it would ensure that the leaders of the company would also experience their success, or failure, with the stock.
Does Nexstar Media Group Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
If you believe that share price follows earnings per share you should definitely be delving further into Nexstar Media Group's strong EPS growth. Further, the high level of insider ownership is impressive and suggests that the management appreciates the EPS growth and has faith in Nexstar Media Group's continuing strength. Fast growth and confident insiders should be enough to warrant further research, so it would seem that it's a good stock to follow. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Nexstar Media Group (of which 1 is potentially serious!) you should know about.
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.
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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.
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