Does Academies Australasia Group (ASX:AKG) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

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 completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.'

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Academies Australasia Group (ASX:AKG), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. 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.

See our latest analysis for Academies Australasia Group

How Fast Is Academies Australasia Group Growing?

The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so share price follows earnings per share (EPS) eventually. Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. I, for one, am blown away by the fact that Academies Australasia Group has grown EPS by 38% per year, over the last three years. That sort of growth never lasts long, but like a shooting star it is well worth watching when it happens.

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. While Academies Australasia Group did well to grow revenue over the last year, EBIT margins were dampened at the same time. So if EBIT margins can stabilize, this top-line growth should pay off for shareholders.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

Academies Australasia Group isn't a huge company, given its market capitalization of AU$32m. That makes it extra important to check on its balance sheet strength.

Are Academies Australasia Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Like that fresh smell in the air when the rains are coming, insider buying fills me with optimistic anticipation. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

Any way you look at it Academies Australasia Group shareholders can gain quiet confidence from the fact that insiders shelled out AU$799k to buy stock, over the last year. When you contrast that with the complete lack of sales, it's easy for shareholders to brim with joyful expectancy. We also note that it was the Group MD, Christopher Campbell, who made the biggest single acquisition, paying AU$142k for shares at about AU$0.57 each.

And the insider buying isn't the only sign of alignment between shareholders and the board, since Academies Australasia Group insiders own more than a third of the company. Indeed, with a collective holding of 79%, company insiders are in control and have plenty of capital behind the venture. This makes me think they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - something I like to see. In terms of absolute value, insiders have AU$25m invested in the business, using the current share price. That's nothing to sneeze at!

Is Academies Australasia Group Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Academies Australasia Group's earnings per share have taken off like a rocket aimed right at the moon. What's more insiders own a significant stake in the company and have been buying more shares. Because of the potential that it has reached an inflection point, I'd suggest Academies Australasia Group belongs on the top of your watchlist. We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Academies Australasia Group that you need to be mindful of.

As a growth investor I do like to see insider buying. But Academies Australasia Group isn't the only one. You can see a a free list of them here.

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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