It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making.  Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.  Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR), which has not only revenues, but also profits.  Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Laureate Education with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

How Fast Is Laureate Education Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Over the last three years, Laureate Education has grown earnings per share (EPS) at as impressive rate from a relatively low point, resulting in a three year percentage growth rate that isn't particularly indicative of expected future performance.  As a result, we'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead.    Outstandingly, Laureate Education's EPS shot from US$0.49 to US$0.86, over the last year.  It's a rarity to see 75% year-on-year growth like that.  

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.    While we note Laureate Education achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 17% to US$1.5b.  That's a real positive.  

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.

NasdaqGS:LAUR Earnings and Revenue History May 8th 2024

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

Are Laureate Education Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's a necessity that company leaders act in the best interest of shareholders and so insider investment always comes as a reassurance to the market.  So it is good to see that Laureate Education insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock.     Indeed, they hold US$22m worth of its stock.  That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy.   Even though that's only about 0.9% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.  

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable?  Well, based on the CEO pay, you'd argue that they are indeed.    The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Laureate Education, with market caps between US$2.0b and US$6.4b, is around US$6.7m.  

The Laureate Education CEO received US$4.5m in compensation for the year ending December 2023.  That is actually below the median for CEO's of similarly sized companies.   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.  Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.

Should You Add Laureate Education To Your Watchlist?

Laureate Education's earnings per share growth have been climbing higher at an appreciable rate.   The cherry on top is that insiders own a bucket-load of shares, and the CEO pay seems really quite reasonable.  The strong EPS improvement suggests the businesses is humming along.  Big growth can make big winners, so the writing on the wall tells us that Laureate Education is worth considering carefully.     It is worth noting though that we have found 1 warning sign for Laureate Education that you need to take into consideration.  

Although Laureate Education certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with insider buying, then check out this handpicked selection of  companies that not only boast of strong growth but have also seen recent insider buying..

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.