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. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.
If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Boston Beer Company (NYSE:SAM). 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. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital – but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.
View our latest analysis for Boston Beer Company
Boston Beer Company’s Earnings Per Share Are Growing.
If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you’d expect a company’s share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. Over the last three years, Boston Beer Company has grown EPS by 17% per year. That’s a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.
I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company’s growth. Boston Beer Company maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 34% to US$1.6b. That’s a real positive.
In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.
Fortunately, we’ve got access to analyst forecasts of Boston Beer Company’s future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.
Are Boston Beer Company Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?
We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a US$13b company like Boston Beer Company. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. Notably, they have an enormous stake in the company, worth US$3.5b. Coming in at 27% of the business, that holding gives insiders a lot of influence, and plenty of reason to generate value for shareholders. Very encouraging.
It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. Well, based on the CEO pay, I’d say they are indeed. For companies with market capitalizations over US$8.0b, like Boston Beer Company, the median CEO pay is around US$11m.
The Boston Beer Company CEO received total compensation of just US$4.2m in the year to . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. 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 a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.
Is Boston Beer Company Worth Keeping An Eye On?
One positive for Boston Beer Company is that it is growing EPS. That’s nice to see. Earnings growth might be the main game for Boston Beer Company, but the fun does not stop there. Boasting both modest CEO pay and considerable insider ownership, I’d argue this one is worthy of the watchlist, at least. However, before you get too excited we’ve discovered 2 warning signs for Boston Beer Company that you should be aware of.
You can invest in 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.
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. 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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