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 currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. 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 can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB), 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 Kimberly-Clark with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

How Fast Is Kimberly-Clark 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) outcomes. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Kimberly-Clark managed to grow EPS by 9.8% per year, over three years. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.

It's often helpful to take a look at earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. It was a year of stability for Kimberly-Clark as both revenue and EBIT margins remained have been flat over the past year. While this doesn't ring alarm bells, it may not meet the expectations of growth-minded investors.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Kimberly-Clark's forecast profits?

Are Kimberly-Clark Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Kimberly-Clark, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. Given insiders own a significant chunk of shares, currently valued at US$68m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. This would indicate that the goals of shareholders and management are one and the same.

Should You Add Kimberly-Clark To Your Watchlist?

As previously touched on, Kimberly-Clark is a growing business, which is encouraging. To add an extra spark to the fire, significant insider ownership in the company is another highlight. That combination is very appealing. So yes, we do think the stock is worth keeping an eye on. Even so, be aware that Kimberly-Clark is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

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.