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. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' 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.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Singapore Technologies Engineering (SGX:S63). 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.

View our latest analysis for Singapore Technologies Engineering

How Fast Is Singapore Technologies Engineering Growing?

Generally, companies experiencing growth in earnings per share (EPS) should see similar trends in share price. So it makes sense that experienced investors pay close attention to company EPS when undertaking investment research. Singapore Technologies Engineering managed to grow EPS by 4.7% per year, over three years. This may not be setting the world alight, but it does show that EPS is on the upwards trend.

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. Singapore Technologies Engineering maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 12% to S$11b. That's encouraging news for the company!

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

SGX:S63 Earnings and Revenue History January 20th 2025

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 Singapore Technologies Engineering's future EPS 100% free.

Are Singapore Technologies Engineering Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Owing to the size of Singapore Technologies Engineering, 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. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at S$65m. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. Despite being just 0.4% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. 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 Singapore Technologies Engineering, with market caps over S$11b, is about S$6.6m.

The Singapore Technologies Engineering CEO received S$3.9m in compensation for the year ending December 2023. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. 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 a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Should You Add Singapore Technologies Engineering To Your Watchlist?

As previously touched on, Singapore Technologies Engineering is a growing business, which is encouraging. The growth of EPS may be the eye-catching headline for Singapore Technologies Engineering, but there's more to bring joy for shareholders. With a meaningful level of insider ownership, and reasonable CEO pay, a reasonable mind might conclude that this is one stock worth watching. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Singapore Technologies Engineering (at least 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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 SG with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.