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. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.

So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, like CIT Group (NYSE:CIT). While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business than can consistently produce it. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, unless its owners have an endless appetite for subsidizing the customer, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else breathe its last breath.

See our latest analysis for CIT Group

How Quickly Is CIT Group Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. CIT Group managed to grow EPS by 10% per year, over three years. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.

I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). Not all of CIT Group'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. CIT Group's EBIT margins are flat but, of some concern, its revenue is actually down. And that does make me a little more cautious of the stock.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of CIT Group's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are CIT Group 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, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.

We do note that, in the last year, insiders sold -US$626.7k worth of shares. But that's far less than the US$1.5m insiders spend purchasing stock. I find this encouraging because it suggests they are optimistic about the CIT Group's future. Zooming in, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Chairwoman & CEO Ellen Alemany for US$501k worth of shares, at about US$43.55 per share.

Along with the insider buying, another encouraging sign for CIT Group is that insiders, as a group, have a considerable shareholding. To be specific, they have US$30m worth of shares. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that's only about 0.7% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

Is CIT Group Worth Keeping An Eye On?

One important encouraging feature of CIT Group is that it is growing profits. Better yet, insiders are significant shareholders, and have been buying more shares. That makes the company a prime candidate for my watchlist - and arguably a research priority. Once you've identified a business you like, the next step is to consider what you think it's worth. And right now is your chance to view our exclusive discounted cashflow valuation of CIT Group. You might benefit from giving it a glance today.

The good news is that CIT Group is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here's a list of them... 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

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

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. Thank you for reading.