Yahoo Finance Here's Why We Think Spectra (CVE:SSA) Is Well Worth Watching
Some have more dollars than sense, they say, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can easily find investors. 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 Spectra (CVE:SSA). Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. 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.
View our latest analysis for Spectra
Spectra's Improving Profits
In the last three years Spectra'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. Like a falcon taking flight, Spectra's EPS soared from CA$0.0042 to CA$0.0059, over the last year. That's a commendable gain of 42%.
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). The good news is that Spectra is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 2.8 percentage points to 28%, over the last year. That's great to see, on both counts.
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.
Since Spectra is no giant, with a market capitalization of CA$3.9m, so you should definitely check its cash and debt before getting too excited about its prospects.
Are Spectra Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
As a general rule, I think it worth considering how much the CEO is paid, since unreasonably high rates could be considered against the interests of shareholders. For companies with market capitalizations under CA$263m, like Spectra, the median CEO pay is around CA$224k.
The Spectra CEO received total compensation of just CA$100k in the year to December 2018. 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. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.
Does Spectra Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?
You can't deny that Spectra has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. With swiftly growing earnings, it probably has its best days ahead, and the modest CEO pay suggests the company is careful with cash. So I'd venture it may well deserve a spot on your watchlist, or even a little further research. Now, you could try to make up your mind on Spectra by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.
Although Spectra certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.
Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction
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