CNinsure Shares Surged: What You Need to Know

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 Chinese insurance broker CNinsure (NAS: CISG) popped as high as 12% today before closing out the day 7% higher than they went in.

So what: Earnings are due out sometime after market close (i.e., any minute now). That fact, combined with the price pop, suggests someone may have -- or someone may think they have -- inside knowledge of what the news contains.

Now what: Not that you necessarily need such knowledge to recognize the attraction of this stock. Based on nothing more than pre-earnings public filings, we know that CNinsure sells for about six times trailing earnings, while analysts who follow the stock promise we will see the company grow those earnings at 27% per year ... every year ... for the next five years.

Yowza. Can you say undervalued? (Before you answer -- do what the investors who bought CNinsure today didn't do. Wait for the earnings news. See for yourself if the stock is as profitable -- and as much a bargain -- as it appears to be.)

Will CNinsure burn you or reward you?Add it to your Watchlistand find out.

At the time thisarticle was published Fool contributorRich Smithdoes not own (or short) any company named above. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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