Should You Be Adding Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (NASDAQ:GLDD) To Your Watchlist Today?

It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (NASDAQ:GLDD), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While that doesn't make the shares worth buying at any price, you can't deny that successful capitalism requires profit, eventually. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing.

See our latest analysis for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock

How Fast Is Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Over the last three years, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock has grown earnings per share (EPS) like young bamboo after rain; fast, and from a low base. So I don't think the percent growth rate is particularly meaningful. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Like a falcon taking flight, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock's EPS soared from US$0.78 to US$1.04, over the last year. That's a commendable gain of 33%.

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. It seems Great Lakes Dredge & Dock is pretty stable, since revenue and EBIT margins are pretty flat year on year. That's not a major concern but nor does it point to the long term growth we like to see.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock's forecast profits?

Are Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It makes me feel more secure owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, thusly more closely aligning our interests. As a result, I'm encouraged by the fact that insiders own Great Lakes Dredge & Dock shares worth a considerable sum. To be specific, they have US$13m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Even though that's only about 2.2% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

Is Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Worth Keeping An Eye On?

For growth investors like me, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. I think that EPS growth is something to boast of, and it doesn't surprise me that insiders are holding on to a considerable chunk of shares. Fast growth and confident insiders should be enough to warrant further research. So the answer is that I do think this is a good stock to follow along with. It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (at least 1 which shouldn't be ignored) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

Although Great Lakes Dredge & Dock certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

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

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.

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