We Ran A Stock Scan For Earnings Growth And H World Group (NASDAQ:HTHT) Passed With Ease

The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. 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 H World Group (NASDAQ:HTHT), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit isn’t the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it’s worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

See our latest analysis for H World Group

H World Group’s Improving Profits

Strong earnings per share (EPS) results are an indicator of a company achieving solid profits, which investors look upon favourably and so the share price tends to reflect great EPS performance. Which is why EPS growth is looked upon so favourably. It’s an outstanding feat for H World Group to have grown EPS from CN¥3.70 to CN¥12.15 in just one year. While it’s difficult to sustain growth at that level, it bodes well for the company’s outlook for the future. This could point to the business hitting a point of inflection.

One way to double-check a company’s growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. The music to the ears of H World Group shareholders is that EBIT margins have grown from 12% to 23% in the last 12 months and revenues are on an upwards trend as well. Both of which are great metrics to check off for potential growth.

The chart below shows how the company’s bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

You don’t drive with your eyes on the rear-view mirror, so you might be more interested in this free report showing analyst forecasts for H World Group’s future profits.

Are H World Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of H World Group, we wouldn’t expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. 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. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at CN¥4.0b. This totals to 31% of shares in the company. Enough to lead management’s decision making process down a path that brings the most benefit to shareholders. So there is opportunity here to invest in a company whose management have tangible incentives to deliver.

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Does H World Group Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

H World Group’s earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. That sort of growth is nothing short of eye-catching, and the large investment held by insiders should certainly brighten the view of the company. At times fast EPS growth is a sign the business has reached an inflection point, so there’s a potential opportunity to be had here. Based on the sum of its parts, we definitely think its worth watching H World Group very closely. We don’t want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 1 warning sign for H World Group that you need to be mindful of.

While opting for stocks without growing earnings and absent insider buying can yield results, for investors valuing these key metrics, here is a carefully selected list of companies in the US with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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.