Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone 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.

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 QCR Holdings (NASDAQ:QCRH). While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.

Check out our latest analysis for QCR Holdings

How Quickly Is QCR Holdings Increasing Earnings Per Share?

If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price should eventually follow. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. QCR Holdings managed to grow EPS by 6.6% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't anything to write home about, it does show the business is growing.

Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. Not all of QCR Holdings' revenue this year is revenue from operations, so keep in mind the revenue and margin numbers used in this article might not be the best representation of the underlying business. QCR Holdings maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 5.1% to US$342m. That's progress.

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.

Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for QCR Holdings.

Are QCR Holdings Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

With strong conviction, QCR Holdings insiders have stood united by refusing to sell shares over the last year. But the bigger deal is that the CEO & Director, Larry Helling, paid US$56k to buy shares at an average price of US$56.00. Strong buying like that could be a sign of opportunity.

On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that QCR Holdings insiders have a valuable investment in the business. To be specific, they have US$49m worth of shares. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Despite being just 3.5% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.

While insiders are apparently happy to hold and accumulate shares, that is just part of the big picture. That's because QCR Holdings' CEO, Larry Helling, is paid at a relatively modest level when compared to other CEOs for companies of this size. For companies with market capitalisations between US$1.0b and US$3.2b, like QCR Holdings, the median CEO pay is around US$5.5m.

QCR Holdings' CEO took home a total compensation package of US$1.8m in the year prior to December 2023. That looks like a modest pay packet, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. 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.

Is QCR Holdings Worth Keeping An Eye On?

One important encouraging feature of QCR Holdings is that it is growing profits. In addition, insiders have been busy adding to their sizeable holdings in the company. That should do plenty in prompting budding investors to undertake a bit more research - or even adding the company to their watchlists. While we've looked at the quality of the earnings, we haven't yet done any work to value the stock. So if you like to buy cheap, you may want to check if QCR Holdings is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Keen growth investors love to see insider activity. Thankfully, QCR Holdings isn't the only one. You can see a a curated list of companies which have exhibited consistent growth accompanied by high insider ownership.

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.