Yahoo Finance Here's Why We Think Swiss Life Holding (VTX:SLHN) Might Deserve Your Attention Today
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 currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. 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.
In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Swiss Life Holding (VTX:SLHN), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Swiss Life Holding with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.
See our latest analysis for Swiss Life Holding
How Quickly Is Swiss Life Holding Increasing Earnings Per Share?
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Over the last three years, Swiss Life Holding has grown EPS by 7.0% per year. This may not be setting the world alight, but it does show that EPS is on the upwards trend.
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. It's noted that Swiss Life Holding's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. While we note Swiss Life Holding achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 5.7% to CHF22b. That's a real positive.
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.
While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Swiss Life Holding?
Are Swiss Life Holding Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Owing to the size of Swiss Life Holding, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. With a whopping CHF70m worth of shares as a group, insiders have plenty riding on the company's success. This would indicate that the goals of shareholders and management are one and the same.
It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are. For companies with market capitalisations over CHF7.6b, like Swiss Life Holding, the median CEO pay is around CHF6.8m.
Swiss Life Holding's CEO took home a total compensation package worth CHF4.3m in the year leading up to December 2021. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.
Should You Add Swiss Life Holding To Your Watchlist?
One positive for Swiss Life Holding is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. Earnings growth might be the main attraction for Swiss Life Holding, but the fun does not stop there. Boasting both modest CEO pay and considerable insider ownership, you'd argue this one is worthy of the watchlist, at least. Before you take the next step you should know about the 1 warning sign for Swiss Life Holding that we have uncovered.
Although Swiss Life Holding certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, 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.
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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