Yahoo Finance Is Now The Time To Put Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO) On Your Watchlist?
Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.
So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO). While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.
View our latest analysis for Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.
If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. Over the last three years, Bank of Montreal has grown EPS by 7.7% per year. That might not be particularly high growth, but it does show that per-share earnings are moving steadily in the right direction.
Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. Not all of Bank of Montreal's revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers I've used might not be the best representation of the underlying business. Bank of Montreal maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 11% to CA$25b. That's a real positive.
The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.
The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. To that end, right now and today, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for future Bank of Montreal EPS 100% free.
Are Bank of Montreal Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
Like standing at the lookout, surveying the horizon at sunrise, insider buying, for some investors, sparks joy. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.
Insider selling of Bank of Montreal shares was insignificant compared to the one buyer, over the last twelve months. Specifically the Independent Director, Philip Orsino, spent CA$917k, paying about CA$91.70 per share. To me, that's probably a sign of conviction.
Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for Bank of Montreal is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. Indeed, they hold CA$39m worth of its stock. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Even though that's only about 0.06% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.
Should You Add Bank of Montreal To Your Watchlist?
One positive for Bank of Montreal is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. On top of that, we've seen insiders buying shares even though they already own plenty. That makes the company a prime candidate for my watchlist - and arguably a research priority. If you think Bank of Montreal might suit your style as an investor, you could go straight to its annual report, or you could first check our discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation for the company.
There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of Bank of Montreal, 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
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
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