Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s (SZSE:002600) stock is up by a considerable 41% over the past three months. Given that the market rewards strong financials in the long-term, we wonder if that is the case in this instance. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s ROE today.

Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors' money. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

How Is ROE Calculated?

Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula:

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

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Lingyi iTech (Guangdong) is:

9.9% = CN¥1.9b ÷ CN¥19b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that for every CN¥1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CN¥0.10 in profit.

What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or "retain", we are then able to evaluate a company's future ability to generate profits. Generally speaking, other things being equal, firms with a high return on equity and profit retention, have a higher growth rate than firms that don't share these attributes.

Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s Earnings Growth And 9.9% ROE

At first glance, Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s ROE doesn't look very promising. However, the fact that the its ROE is quite higher to the industry average of 6.3% doesn't go unnoticed by us. This probably goes some way in explaining Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s moderate 11% growth over the past five years amongst other factors. Bear in mind, the company does have a moderately low ROE. It is just that the industry ROE is lower. Therefore, the growth in earnings could also be the result of other factors. Such as- high earnings retention or the company belonging to a high growth industry.

As a next step, we compared Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s net income growth with the industry, and pleasingly, we found that the growth seen by the company is higher than the average industry growth of 6.4%.

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. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. One good indicator of expected earnings growth is the P/E ratio which determines the price the market is willing to pay for a stock based on its earnings prospects. So, you may want to check if Lingyi iTech (Guangdong) is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Is Lingyi iTech (Guangdong) Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Lingyi iTech (Guangdong) has a three-year median payout ratio of 41%, which implies that it retains the remaining 59% of its profits. This suggests that its dividend is well covered, and given the decent growth seen by the company, it looks like management is reinvesting its earnings efficiently.

Moreover, Lingyi iTech (Guangdong) is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of four years of paying a dividend.

Conclusion

On the whole, we feel that Lingyi iTech (Guangdong)'s performance has been quite good. Specifically, we like that it has been reinvesting a high portion of its profits at a moderate rate of return, resulting in earnings expansion. That being so, the latest analyst forecasts show that the company will continue to see an expansion in its earnings. 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com