Return on equity: How to calculate ROE and use it to evaluate a company

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Return on equity (ROE) is a financial ratio that offers insights into a company’s profitability and financial health. Return on equity measures how efficiently a company generates earnings from its shareholders’ equity and is used by investors to assess a company’s performance. 

In this article, we will delve deeper into the concept of ROE, its calculation and how ROE can be used alongside other financial metrics for a comprehensive assessment of a company. Here’s everything you need to know about ROE.

What is return on equity (ROE)?

Return on equity is a critical financial metric that sheds light on a company’s financial performance by measuring how efficiently it generates profits from its shareholders’ equity. In essence, ROE is a measure of a company’s profitability against the capital that shareholders have invested. 

A higher ROE implies that a company is more effective at converting its equity into profits, reflecting efficient management and sound financial health. However, it’s essential to compare ROE within the same industry, as it can fluctuate significantly across different sectors. Furthermore, a high ROE could also be a result of significant leverage, so it’s crucial to understand the underlying drivers of ROE in order to fully understand a company’s performance.

How to calculate return on equity

Calculating return on equity is a relatively straightforward process. The formula is ROE = net income / shareholders’ equity. 

The net income, which is the company’s profit after taxes and all expenses, can be found on the income statement. Shareholders’ equity, which represents the residual interest in the company’s assets after subtracting liabilities, can be found on the balance sheet. 

The best online brokers often let you screen for companies with a high ROE.

DuPont analysis

The DuPont analysis is a technique that provides a more in-depth look at ROE by breaking it down into three key components: net profit margin, total asset turnover and equity multiplier. 

This decomposition can offer a more comprehensive understanding of what’s driving a company’s ROE and highlight potential inefficiencies or risks that could be overlooked by a simple ROE calculation. 

The DuPont model formula is as follows: ROE = net profit margin x total asset turnover x equity multiplier. 

Each component of this formula provides unique insights into different aspects of the business. 

• Net profit margin (net income/total sales) measures the amount of net income generated per dollar of sales. 
• Total asset turnover (total sales/average assets) assesses how well the company uses its assets to generate sales.
• The equity multiplier (average assets/average shareholders’ equity) evaluates the extent of financial leverage being used by the company.

ROE example

Let’s consider a hypothetical company, Company A, to illustrate how to calculate ROE. Suppose Company A has a net income of $3 million and shareholders’ equity of $15 million. 

To calculate ROE, we would use the formula ROE = net income / shareholders’ equity. Plugging in the numbers, we get ROE = $3,000,000 / $15,000,000 = 0.2 or 20 percent. This means that for every dollar of shareholders’ equity, the company generated 20 cents in profit. 

If we compare this ROE to the industry average, we can gain insights into the company’s performance relative to its peers. For instance, if the industry average ROE is 12 percent, a 20 percent ROE suggests that Company A is performing above average, which could make it an attractive investment. However, other financial metrics should also be taken into account before making an investment decision.

ROE vs. ROIC

Return on equity and return on invested capital (ROIC) are both important financial metrics, but they serve different purposes and are used in different contexts. ROE measures a company’s profitability relative to shareholders’ equity, providing insights into how efficiently a company is using its shareholders’ funds to generate profits. 

In contrast, ROIC evaluates a company’s efficiency in generating returns from all invested capital, including both debt and equity. This makes ROIC a more comprehensive measure of capital efficiency, which is relevant to both equity and debt investors as well as company management. 

The key differences between the two metrics include the focus on capital structure, where ROE looks at equity alone, while ROIC considers total capital including debt. Accordingly, ROIC is less susceptible to distortion through financial leverage, making it a more complete indicator of a company’s ability to generate value from its total capital base.

Limitations of ROE

While ROE is a useful financial metric, it has some limitations that can impact its interpretation. 

For instance, ROE can be artificially inflated by high levels of debt. Companies with significant debt can show a high ROE even if their actual profitability has not improved, leading to a misleading perception of financial health. This is because ROE is calculated by dividing net income by shareholders’ equity, and high debt levels reduce shareholders’ equity, thus increasing ROE. Furthermore, ROE does not account for the risk associated with high leverage, which can increase the volatility of earnings and the company’s financial risk. 

Additionally, ROE can be distorted by inconsistent profits. For example, a company that has been unprofitable for several years but suddenly posts a profit will show a high ROE due to the low equity base resulting from accumulated losses. This can give a false impression of the company’s profitability. 

Finally, ROE varies significantly across different industries due to differences in capital intensity and operating margins, making it less useful for comparing companies across sectors. Therefore, while ROE can provide valuable insights into a company’s financial performance, it should be used in conjunction with other financial metrics for a more comprehensive assessment.