Lucky Harvest Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002965) announced strong profits, but the stock was stagnant. Our analysis suggests that shareholders have noticed something concerning in the numbers.

In order to understand the potential for per share returns, it is essential to consider how much a company is diluting shareholders. In fact, Lucky Harvest increased the number of shares on issue by 15% over the last twelve months by issuing new shares. That means its earnings are split among a greater number of shares. Per share metrics like EPS help us understand how much actual shareholders are benefitting from the company's profits, while the net income level gives us a better view of the company's absolute size. Check out Lucky Harvest's historical EPS growth by clicking on this link.

A Look At The Impact Of Lucky Harvest's Dilution On Its Earnings Per Share (EPS)

Lucky Harvest has improved its profit over the last three years, with an annualized gain of 192% in that time. But EPS was only up 149% per year, in the exact same period. And the 46% profit boost in the last year certainly seems impressive at first glance. On the other hand, earnings per share are only up 43% in that time. Therefore, the dilution is having a noteworthy influence on shareholder returns.

In the long term, earnings per share growth should beget share price growth. So Lucky Harvest shareholders will want to see that EPS figure continue to increase. But on the other hand, we'd be far less excited to learn profit (but not EPS) was improving. For the ordinary retail shareholder, EPS is a great measure to check your hypothetical "share" of the company's profit.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Lucky Harvest's Profit Performance

Lucky Harvest shareholders should keep in mind how many new shares it is issuing, because, dilution clearly has the power to severely impact shareholder returns. Therefore, it seems possible to us that Lucky Harvest's true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. But the good news is that its EPS growth over the last three years has been very impressive. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Lucky Harvest you should be aware of.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Lucky Harvest's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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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.