Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors are often looking for “the next big thing,” even if that means buying “history stocks” with no revenue, let alone profit. And in their study titled Who falls prey to the wolf of Wall Street? » Leuz and. al. found that it is “fairly common” for investors to lose money by buying into “pump and dump” schemes.

Contrary to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Private Medibank (ASX:MPL), which not only generates revenue, but also profits. Although profit is not necessarily a social good, it is easy to admire a company that can produce it consistently. Conversely, a loss-making business has yet to prove itself with profits, and eventually the sweet milk of outside capital can turn sour.

Discover our latest analysis for Medibank Private

How fast is Medibank Private growing?

If a company can keep increasing its earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its stock price will eventually follow. Therefore, there are many investors who like to buy shares in companies that grow EPS. Over the past three years, Medibank Private has grown EPS by 5.1% per year. Although this type of growth rate is not surprising, it shows that the company is growing.

One way to check a company’s growth is to look at the evolution of its revenues and its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margins. I note that the income from Medibank Private operations was lower than its turnover in the last twelve months, which could distort my analysis of its margins. While we note that Medibank Private’s EBIT margins have remained stable over the past year, revenues increased by 4.4% to A$7.1 billion. This is a real plus point.

You can check the company’s revenue and profit growth trend in the table below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

You don’t drive with your eyes on the rearview mirror, so you might be more interested in that free report showing analyst forecasts for Medibank Private to come up profits.

Are Medibank private insiders aligned with all shareholders?

Generally, I think it’s worth considering how much the CEO gets paid, because unreasonably high rates could be considered against the interests of shareholders. For companies with a market capitalization between AU$5.5 billion and AU$17 billion, such as Medibank Private, the median CEO salary is around AU$3.4 million.

Medibank Private offered total compensation worth A$2.1 million to its CEO during the year at . This is below average for companies of a similar size and seems pretty reasonable to me. CEO compensation isn’t the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it’s reasonable, it gives me a bit more confidence that executives are looking out for shareholders’ interests. It can also be a sign of good governance more generally.

Does Medibank Private deserve a spot on your watch list?

A plus point for Medibank Private is that it increases EPS. It’s nice to see. On top of that, my confidence in the board is bolstered by the fact that the CEO’s reasonable compensation. So overall, I think it’s at least worth considering for your watchlist. It is still necessary to take into account the risks, for example – Medibank Private has 1 warning sign we think you should know.

You can invest in the company of your choice. But if you’d rather focus on stocks that have been insider buying, here’s a list of companies that have been insider buying over the past three months.

Please note that insider trading discussed in this article refers to reportable trading in the relevant jurisdiction.

Feedback on this article? Concerned about content? Get in touch with us directly. You can also email the editorial team (at) Simplywallst.com.

This Simply Wall St article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell stocks and does not take into account your objectives or financial situation. Our goal is to bring you targeted long-term analysis based on fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not take into account the latest announcements from price-sensitive companies or qualitative materials. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

With rising grocery costs, you might stare longingly at lamb chops, put back on those juicy steaks, or ditch the meat altogether.

While sky-high meat prices have forced some consumers to look for alternatives to cut their grocery bills, dieticians warn it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.

So how can you safely reduce weekly shopping?

Planning is key, according to North Queensland Registered Dietitian Vivienne Salu.

“Having wise recipes and shopping – if you do, you can save a lot of money, but it’s all about planning,” she said.

Ms Salu warned that iron levels often drop when cutting red meat, especially in children and women.

“You just need to be aware of having iron-fortified cereals, looking for places where you can get your iron, and having vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits, fruits, juices, berries, dark green or orange vegetables or a salad to help vitamin C absorb iron from low-iron foods,” she said.

If you’re not ready to take the plunge and forego meat altogether, Ms. Salu suggested simple ways to stretch your meat a bit more, like adding canned lentils to spaghetti bolognese.

“When it comes to making protein meals, for example, a stir-fry only uses thin slices of beef or lean chicken, so you only need to use 100 grams per person, instead of a fillet of 200 grams each,” she said.

“By adding more vegetables, you still get small amounts of animal protein to flavor and make a great meal.”

Soaring meat prices are reflected in the produce aisle, so sticking to what’s in season can help cut costs.

“Weekend markets are the cheapest place to buy your fruit and vegetables if you have time to stock up at the weekend. They are often half the price of supermarkets,” Ms Salu said.

“Buy frozen vegetables in bulk. Frozen is as good as fresh, as long as you don’t overcook them.”

Ms Salu said canned vegetables were also an affordable option.

“They don’t contain folate or vitamin C because they’re destroyed in the canning process, but you still get the carbs, protein and fiber, so use cans with the fresh produce as well,” said she declared.

Do not suffer in silence

As cost of living pressures mount, Nutrition Australia warns there could be long-term health implications for a nation that is already experiencing a rise in obesity.

“I’m concerned that cheap, convenient and highly processed foods are starting to take a bigger place in people’s diets and that could have health consequences,” said dietician Leanne Elliston.

It was a concern shared by Vivienne Salu, who said that without adequate education and increased financial support, especially for those dependent on government payments, malnutrition due to poverty would become more widespread.

“Iron deficiency is a third world problem, but we’re going to see more of it because people can’t afford meat,” she said.

Top tips before you hit the shops

Ms Elliston said it was a bad idea to go shopping on an empty stomach as hungry shoppers bought more than they needed.

“Get an idea of ​​what you already have in the fridge and pantry,” she said.

“Try to stick to the plan of what you are going to give the family… look for budget ideas and recipes.

“About half of the recipes meal should be vegetables, about a quarter could be a meat option or an alternative like eggs, legumes, tofu, nuts. The last quarter is carbs, that’s rice , pasta or potatoes or grainy bread option.”

And if you have even more time up your sleeve, adopt your green thumb.

“If you have space in your garden or have a balcony, you should consider growing your own produce,” Ms Elliston said.

Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors are often looking for “the next big thing,” even if that means buying “history stocks” with no revenue, let alone profit. But as Warren Buffett said, “If you’ve been playing poker for half an hour and you still don’t know who the sucker is, you’re the sucker.” When buying such stocks, investors are too often suckers.

Contrary to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like FLEX LNG (OB:FLNG), which not only generates revenue, but also profits. Although profit is not necessarily a social good, it is easy to admire a company that can produce it consistently. In comparison, loss-making companies act like a sponge for capital – but unlike such a sponge, they don’t always produce something when pressed.

Check out our latest analysis for FLEX LNG

Improved profits of FLEX LNG

In a capitalist society, capital drives out profits, which means stock prices tend to rise with earnings per share (EPS). So like the hint of a smile on a face I love, EPS growth usually makes me look twice. It is therefore impressive that FLEX LNG’s EPS rose from US$0.15 to US$3.05 in just one year. While this rate of growth is unlikely to be repeated, it looks like a breakout improvement. But the key is to discern if something profound has changed or if it’s just a one-time nudge.

A careful look at revenue growth and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of recent earnings growth. The good news is that FLEX LNG is increasing its revenues and EBIT margins have improved by 12.6 percentage points to 59% compared to last year. Checking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in my book.

The graph below shows how the company’s bottom line and top results have grown over time. Click on the table to see the exact numbers.

The trick, as an investor, is to find companies that go to perform well in the future, not just in the past. To that end, right now and today, you can view our 100% Free Future FLEX LNG EPS Future Analyst Consensus Forecast Visualization.

Are FLEX LNG insiders aligned with all shareholders?

Personally, I like to see high insider ownership in a company, as it suggests that it will be run in the interests of shareholders. We are therefore pleased to report that FLEX LNG insiders own a significant share of the business. In fact, with 47% of the company to their name, insiders are deeply invested in the company. I take comfort in this type of alignment, as it suggests that the company will be run for the benefit of shareholders. At the current share price, this insider stake is worth US$4.9 billion. That’s what I call serious skin in the game!

Should you add FLEX LNG to your watchlist?

FLEX LNG’s revenue took off like any random cryptocurrency in 2017. This type of growth is just eye-catching, and the significant investment held by insiders certainly informs my view of the business. The hope is, of course, that the strong growth marks a fundamental improvement in the business economy. So, in my opinion, FLEX LNG deserves to be put on your watch list; after all, shareholders succeed when the market undervalues ​​fast-growing companies. What about the risks? Every business has them, and we’ve spotted 2 warning signs for FLEX LNG (1 of which is potentially serious!) that you should know about.

Of course, you can (sometimes) buy stocks that are not increased income and do not have insiders buying stocks. But as a growth investor, I always like to check out companies that do have these characteristics. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note that insider trading discussed in this article refers to reportable trading in the relevant jurisdiction.

Feedback on this article? Concerned about content? Get in touch with us directly. You can also email the editorial team (at) Simplywallst.com.

This Simply Wall St article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell stocks and does not take into account your objectives or financial situation. Our goal is to bring you targeted long-term analysis based on fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not take into account the latest announcements from price-sensitive companies or qualitative materials. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – “Rent free in Nashville” is such a wacky phrase it sounds too good to be true, but it’s not.

Nashville investor Ben Hamd and his partner recently bought The Shoppes at Rivergate for nearly $14 million just to turn around and offer new tenants free rent.

“It’s about creating a really cohesive and great retail experience and it’s already here and it needs to be a few more companies to complete it,” said Hamd, owner of Brookwood Capital Advisors. “What we do is buy things that have vacancies and try to fill them to add value.”

The Madison Mall sits adjacent to Conference Drive and Gallatin Road, with 172,000 square feet of opportunity, anchored by DSW, Ashley Furniture and Bed Bath and Beyond across from the Rivergate Mall.

“The free rent is there to entice people to come and open here, it’s not about lining their pockets now, it’s more of a long-term goal,” Hamd said.

It’s a goal to snag the best possible tenants, which Hamd knows pays off.

“It means businesses are moving to Madison, it means we’re going from 70% to 100%, it frankly means people are building businesses that help drive businesses forward,” Hamd said.

It’s the dawn of a new era for the company formerly known as Facebook, and to truly establish its evolution into “Meta”, CEO Mark Zuckerberg today held an all-staff meeting to announce updated Meta values ​​in line with its new, more forward-looking focus.

The company’s value statements have been a key driver of its strategic changes over time, beginning with the ‘Move fast and break things‘, which lasted between 2009 and 2014, before being updated to the more placid ‘Move fast with a stable infrastructure‘. Because breaking things wasn’t necessarily a good thing to associate with.

Meta updated its mission statement again in 2017, to “Making the world more open and connected,” which didn’t quite capture everything Zuck wanted. So he updated again a year later to “Empowering people to build community and bring the world together”. which is usually abbreviated as “Bringing the world together” as the main objective.

Many people scoffed at this, given the role the platform would have played in the 2016 US election, but it’s still Meta’s overriding, overriding ambition. has been striving since.

Until now.

So what is Meta’s new mission?

The new directive incorporates elements of all these past factors, in a larger collection.

• Mtoo soon together
• Build awesome things
• Focus on long-term impact
• Live in the future
• To be open

The only omission here is a mention of “community” or “building community”, the focus again being more aligned with development, as it turns to metaverse change.

Which is still in development, and nobody knows exactly how it will play out, at least in a meta-structured context. Metaverse versions have been around for a while, especially in games, so there’s a broad concept of what a digital world might look like that recreates real-world interaction. But Meta’s vision will seek to build on what exists and incorporate new elements – making it difficult to say, at this stage, if and how all of these pieces will come together, and what role Meta will ultimately play in the broader context. structural framework.

As we noted recently, much of what Meta has touted as its vision for the Metaverse is actually just virtual reality, with user avatars engaging in fully immersive digital spaces.

Which sounds great, although Meta’s fully interactive VR world is still a long way off. But if that’s the vision Meta is working towards, then he’s clearly showing the way, with sales of its VR Quest 2 headsets on the riseand Meta buy VR studios and developers to dominate the space.

Yet, at the same time, these visions don’t necessarily incorporate AR, for which Meta is developing new wearable and interactive devices, and they don’t extend to other metaverse-aligned developments like cryptocurrency, NFTs, advanced AI and more.

All of these disparate pieces will likely play a role, but what’s most interesting is how Meta’s rebranding has emphasized the “metaverse” as a larger concept that every developer of n Any tech space is now scrambling to add “ready for the metaverse”. to their tools and applications, even though they have no idea what “ready for the metaverse” really means.

This is why the current discussion around Web3 and its related stuff is still too early, because who knows how it will all fit together. Each element will be its own thing, and each should be explored in its own time and space. And by referring to things as aligned with the Metaverse, all you’re really doing is playing into the narrative that Meta will own the Metaverse.

That’s probably what Zuck and Co. want, but it’s worth noting the company’s massive influence in the market and how that impacts its positioning for the next shift.

Which brings us back to the new Meta values ​​and its realignment around “fast moving” as it moves to the next stage.

Really, that’s where we are – we’ve gone back to the old Facebook in a way, with the desire to develop new experiences and beat the competition, in order to establish a platform that, a once it’s in place, will then see Meta’s focus refocus on community and social good, which Facebook eventually pivoted to once it was big enough.

But at the same time, he also pivoted too late. Facebook became more aware of the negative impact of its apps once they were created, evolving rapidly, which is when it then decided to “bring the world together” and focus on improving community engagement.

Will this also happen in the metaverse? Will this new mission overview see Meta focus more on “moving fast” and “building awesome things”, while overlooking the potential downsides and societal damage that could also result?

I guess that’s what the “focus on long-term impact” rating is there to counter, to give developers added momentum to build with sustainability and, ideally, safety in mind.

But I do not know. It seems that accelerating product development and stepping into the future is the main impetus here.

There’s also “Be Open,” which I’d bet Meta will build on with its commitment to building its infrastructure in partnership with others. But in reality, I suspect it will actually be interpreted internally as building systems that others can also build for, which will eventually see Meta hosting the foundations of the metaverse as it sees it.

For all his talk about ‘no company owns the metaverseit increasingly looks like only one company will do just that.

And a final note. Meta employees will now be referred to internally as “Metamates”.

Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth confirmed this and provided some background on the terminology:

So Metamates. Pretty cool, right?

I could it can’t be worse than ‘Nooglers‘, which someone must have also once found to be incredibly smart and witty.

Some have more money than sense, they say, so even companies with no revenue, no profit and a history of failures can easily find investors. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up on Wall Street“Long shots almost never pay off.”

In the era of blue-sky tech-stock investments, my choice may seem old-fashioned; I always prefer profitable companies like Affle (India) (NSE: AFFLE). Although profit is not necessarily a social good, it is easy to admire a company that can produce it consistently. In comparison, loss-making companies act like a sponge for capital – but unlike such a sponge, they don’t always produce something when pressed.

See our latest analysis for Affle (India)

Affle (India) profit improvement

Over the past three years, earnings per share of Affle (India) have taken off like a rocket; fast and from a low base. So the actual growth rate doesn’t tell us much. It therefore makes sense to focus on the most recent growth rates instead. Like the latest New Year’s Eve fireworks accelerating across the sky, Affle (India)’s EPS has risen from ₹7.19 to ₹15.30 over the past year. 113% annual growth is certainly a sight to behold. This could be a sign that the company has reached a real inflection point.

I like to see revenue growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high margin on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to point to a competitive moat (although some low-margin companies also have moats). I note that income from Affle (India) operations was lower than its turnover over the last twelve months, which could distort my analysis of its margins. While we note that Affle (India)’s EBIT margins have remained stable over the past year, revenues have grown by 105% to ₹9.3 billion. This is a real plus point.

In the table below, you can see how the company has increased its profits and revenue over time. For more details, click on the image.

As we live in the moment at all times, there is no doubt in my mind that the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this interactive chart outlining future EPS estimates for Affle (India)?

Are Affle (India) insiders aligned with all shareholders?

Like standing on the lookout, surveying the horizon at sunrise, insider buying, for some investors, brings joy. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal an uptrend on behalf of the buyer. Of course, we can never be sure what insiders are thinking, we can only judge their actions.

Whichever way you look at it, Affle (India) shareholders can gain quiet confidence from the fact that insiders have shelled out £30m to buy shares over the past year. And when you consider that there has been no insider selling, you can understand why shareholders might believe that lady luck will grace this company. It should also be noted that it was CFO and COO Kapil Bhutani who made the largest single purchase, worth ₹28 million, paying ₹1,194 per share.

It’s reassuring that insiders at Affle (India) are buying the shares, but that’s not the only reason to believe management is fair to shareholders. I mean the very reasonable level of compensation for CEOs. I found out that the median total compensation of CEOs of companies like Affle (India) with a market capitalization between ₹75 billion and ₹239 billion is around ₹32 million.

The CEO of Affle (India) received a total compensation of just ₹250,000 in the year at . This could be considered a token amount and indicates that the company does not need to use the payment to incentivize the CEO – this is often a good sign. CEO compensation isn’t the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when it’s reasonable, it gives me a bit more confidence that executives are looking out for shareholders’ interests. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, broadly defined.

Does Affle (India) deserve a spot on your watch list?

Earnings per share for Affle (India) took off like a rocket aimed straight at the moon. Even better, we can see insider buying and the CEO salary seems reasonable. It could be that Affle (India) is at an inflection point, given the growth in EPS. If so, the potential for additional earnings probably deserves a spot on your watch list. We don’t want to rain too much on the parade, but we also found 1 warning sign for Affle (India) which you must take into account.

The good news is that Affle (India) is not the only growth stock with insider buying. Here’s a list…with insider purchases over the past three months!

Please note that insider trading discussed in this article refers to reportable trading in the relevant jurisdiction.

Feedback on this article? Concerned about content? Get in touch with us directly. You can also email the editorial team (at) Simplywallst.com.

This Simply Wall St article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell stocks and does not take into account your objectives or financial situation. Our goal is to bring you targeted long-term analysis based on fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not take into account the latest announcements from price-sensitive companies or qualitative materials. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.