What insights does CIX's 2023 EPS provide?

CompX International's (CIX) 2023 EPS of $1.84 for the fourth quarter (Q4) reveals several key insights into the company's financial performance and potential returns for investors:

1. **Earnings Strength**: The EPS of $1.84 indicates a strong earnings performance for CIX in 2023Q4. This suggests that the company has been profitable during the period, which is a positive signal for investors looking for stable and healthy financial returns.
2. **Comparison with Expectations**: The absence of an EPS surprise in 2023Q4 implies that the actual EPS was in line with market expectations. This could mean that the company's performance was not significantly better or worse than what analysts had predicted, which might reflect a more stable business environment with less volatility than expected.
3. **Historical Performance Context**: Considering the closing price of $20.32 on December 29, 2023, the EPS of $1.84 represents a significant return on investment, assuming a stable or growing dividend, as the stock price has already been higher than the EPS. This could be indicative of the company's ability to generate earnings that exceed its stock price, potentially offering a good value for investors seeking dividends or capital appreciation.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Diluted EPS YoY|Diluted EPS|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|2023 Q1|22.499999999999993|0.49|170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|2023 Q2|-34|0.33|170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|2023 Q3|17.49999999999999|0.47|170|

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Closing Price|Closing Price YoY|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230103|18||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230104|17.61||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230105|18.04||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230106|18.05||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230109|17.75||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230110|18.67||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230111|18.22||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230112|19||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230113|18.45||170|
|CIX|CIX.A|CompX International|20230117|18.21||170|