Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics' (SHSE:688636) stock is up by a considerable 39% over the past month. Given that stock prices are usually aligned with a company's financial performance in the long-term, we decided to study its financial indicators more closely to see if they had a hand to play in the recent price move. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics' ROE today.

Return on equity or ROE is a key measure used to assess how efficiently a company's management is utilizing the company's capital. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

View our latest analysis for Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics is:

8.8% = CN¥92m ÷ CN¥1.0b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. That means that for every CN¥1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CN¥0.09 in profit.

What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?

Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or "retains" for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features.

Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics' Earnings Growth And 8.8% ROE

On the face of it, Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics' ROE is not much to talk about. However, the fact that the its ROE is quite higher to the industry average of 6.3% doesn't go unnoticed by us. However, Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics has seen a flattish net income growth over the past five years, which is not saying much. Bear in mind, the company does have a slightly low ROE. It is just that the industry ROE is lower. Therefore, the low to flat growth in earnings could also be the result of this.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that the industry grew its earnings by 13% over the last few years.

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. The investor should try to establish if the expected growth or decline in earnings, whichever the case may be, is priced in. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. If you're wondering about Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics''s valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

While the company did pay out a portion of its dividend in the past, it currently doesn't pay a dividend. We infer that the company has been reinvesting all of its profits to grow its business.

Conclusion

In total, it does look like Chengdu Zhimingda Electronics has some positive aspects to its business. Yet, the low earnings growth is a bit concerning, especially given that the company has a respectable rate of return and is reinvesting a huge portion of its profits. By the looks of it, there could be some other factors, not necessarily in control of the business, that's preventing growth. That being so, the latest industry analyst forecasts show that the analysts are expecting to see a huge improvement in the company's earnings growth rate. To know more about the company's future earnings growth forecasts take a look at this free report on analyst forecasts for the company to find out more.

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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.