The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. Sometimes these stories can cloud the minds of investors, leading them to invest with their emotions rather than on the merit of good company fundamentals. 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.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Downer EDI (ASX:DOW), which has not only revenues, but also profits. 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.

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How Quickly Is Downer EDI Increasing Earnings Per Share?

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 makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Over the last three years, Downer EDI has grown EPS by 9.9% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained.

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. While Downer EDI may have maintained EBIT margins over the last year, revenue has fallen. While this may raise concerns, investors should investigate the reasoning behind this.

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.ASX:DOW Earnings and Revenue History April 8th 2026

Check out our latest analysis for Downer EDI

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Downer EDI?

Are Downer EDI Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Insider interest in a company always sparks a bit of intrigue and many investors are on the lookout for companies where insiders are putting their money where their mouth is. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right.

Story Continues

Any way you look at it Downer EDI shareholders can gain quiet confidence from the fact that insiders shelled out AU$310k to buy stock, over the last year. When you contrast that with the complete lack of sales, it's easy for shareholders to be brimming with joyful expectancy. Zooming in, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Non-Executive Director Peter Barker for AU$119k worth of shares, at about AU$7.22 per share.

The good news, alongside the insider buying, for Downer EDI bulls is that insiders (collectively) have a meaningful investment in the stock. To be specific, they have AU$20m worth of shares. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. Even though that's only about 0.4% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

Should You Add Downer EDI To Your Watchlist?

As previously touched on, Downer EDI is a growing business, which is encouraging. Better yet, insiders are significant shareholders, and have been buying more shares. These factors alone make the company an interesting prospect for your watchlist, as well as continuing research. We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for Downer EDI that you should be aware of before investing here.

Keen growth investors love to see insider activity. Thankfully, Downer EDI isn't the only one. You can see a a curated list of Australian 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content?Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.

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