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 can act like a sponge for capital - so investors should be cautious that they're not throwing good money after bad.

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 UFP Technologies (NASDAQ:UFPT). Now this is not to say that the company presents the best investment opportunity around, but profitability is a key component to success in business.

We've discovered 2 warning signs about UFP Technologies. View them for free.

UFP Technologies' Earnings Per Share Are 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. To the delight of shareholders, UFP Technologies has achieved impressive annual EPS growth of 54%, compound, over the last three years. That sort of growth rarely ever lasts long, but it is well worth paying attention to when it happens.

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. While we note UFP Technologies achieved similar EBIT margins to last year, revenue grew by a solid 26% to US$504m. That's encouraging news for the company!

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.

Check out our latest analysis for UFP Technologies

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

Are UFP Technologies 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. Shareholders will be pleased by the fact that insiders own UFP Technologies shares worth a considerable sum. Given insiders own a significant chunk of shares, currently valued at US$56m, 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.

While it's always good to see some strong conviction in the company from insiders through heavy investment, it's also important for shareholders to ask if management compensation policies are reasonable. Our quick analysis into CEO remuneration would seem to indicate they are. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like UFP Technologies with market caps between US$1.0b and US$3.2b is about US$6.1m.

UFP Technologies offered total compensation worth US$5.3m to its CEO in the year to December 2024. 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. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Should You Add UFP Technologies To Your Watchlist?

UFP Technologies' earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The strong EPS improvement suggests the businesses is humming along. UFP Technologies is certainly doing some things right and is well worth investigating. Still, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with UFP Technologies.

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.