The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else investors will move on and the company will wither away.

If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE:AXTA). Even if this company is fairly valued by the market, investors would agree that generating consistent profits will continue to provide Axalta Coating Systems with the means to add long-term value to shareholders.

See our latest analysis for Axalta Coating Systems

How Fast Is Axalta Coating Systems 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 means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Over the last three years, Axalta Coating Systems has grown EPS by 7.6% per year. That might not be particularly high growth, but it does show that per-share earnings are moving steadily in the right direction.

Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. Axalta Coating Systems shareholders can take confidence from the fact that EBIT margins are up from 11% to 15%, and revenue is growing. That's great to see, on both counts.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that are going to perform well in the future, not just in the past. While crystal balls don't exist, you can check our visualization of consensus analyst forecasts for Axalta Coating Systems' future EPS 100% free.

Are Axalta Coating Systems Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Axalta Coating Systems, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a significant proportion of the company. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. To be specific, they have US$29m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. While their ownership only accounts for 0.4%, this is still a considerable amount at stake to encourage the business to maintain a strategy that will deliver value to shareholders.

Should You Add Axalta Coating Systems To Your Watchlist?

One important encouraging feature of Axalta Coating Systems is that it is growing profits. If that's not enough on its own, there is also the rather notable levels of insider ownership. That combination is very appealing. So yes, we do think the stock is worth keeping an eye on. We should say that we've discovered 1 warning sign for Axalta Coating Systems that you should be aware of before investing here.

There's always the possibility of doing well buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But for those who consider these important metrics, we encourage you to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a tailored list of companies which have demonstrated growth backed by significant insider holdings.

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.