Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of ePlus (PLUS 0.12%) ended Friday up 15% after slipping from gains of up to 19% in early trading. The market is evidently quite pleased with the information-technology service provider's earnings report for its fiscal third quarter, and shares reached another all-time high today -- an event that has become commonplace for ePlus shareholders since mid-2013.
So what: ePlus reported quarterly revenue of $306.2 million, which resulted in adjusted earnings of $1.64. The company's results compared favorably to Wall Street's expectation for $291.2 million in revenue and EPS of $1.41. ePlus did not provide any guidance on the fiscal fourth quarter that is now under way, but this clearly didn't matter today.
Now what: ePlus has been making new highs for a year and a half, and is riding a six-year growth streak that has boosted its share price more than sevenfold. However, the company's revenue has only grown by about 50% during that time. Its adjusted EPS has improved by about 150%, which has resulted in a P/E that is now at levels not seen since the financial crisis. On the other hand, that P/E is still just 15.5, even after today's pop.
ePlus is clearly doing something right. Its adjusted earnings per share continue to grow strongly, rising 24% from the year-ago quarter. On a year-to-date basis, adjusted EPS is 31% higher than it was at this time a year ago. Today's results certainly merit a closer look, as ePlus is still quite small by stock market standards. How much more growth could still lie ahead?
