Investors are often guided by the idea of discovering 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without any revenue, let alone profit. Unfortunately, these high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson. A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

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 Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

Check out our latest analysis for Apollo Global Management

Apollo Global Management's Improving Profits

Even modest earnings per share growth (EPS) can create meaningful value, when it is sustained reliably from year to year. So EPS growth can certainly encourage an investor to take note of a stock. It is awe-striking that Apollo Global Management's EPS went from US$2.76 to US$9.55 in just one year. When you see earnings grow that quickly, it often means good things ahead for the company.

Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. It's noted that Apollo Global Management's revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. While Apollo Global Management 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. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Apollo Global Management's forecast profits?

Are Apollo Global Management Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Since Apollo Global Management has a market capitalisation of US$75b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. Indeed, they have a considerable amount of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$16b. This totals to 21% of shares in the company. Enough to lead management's decision making process down a path that brings the most benefit to shareholders. Looking very optimistic for investors.

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? Well, based on the CEO pay, you'd argue that they are indeed. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Apollo Global Management, with market caps over US$8.0b, is about US$13m.

Apollo Global Management's CEO took home a total compensation package of US$321k in the year prior to December 2023. First impressions seem to indicate a compensation policy that is favourable to shareholders. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Should You Add Apollo Global Management To Your Watchlist?

Apollo Global Management's earnings have taken off in quite an impressive fashion. An added bonus for those interested is that management hold a heap of stock and the CEO pay is quite reasonable, illustrating good cash management. The drastic earnings growth indicates the business is going from strength to strength. Hopefully a trend that continues well into the future. Apollo Global Management is certainly doing some things right and is well worth investigating. What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Apollo Global Management you should know about.

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 the US with promising growth potential and insider confidence.

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

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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.