Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech's (SZSE:300507) stock is up by a considerable 17% over the past month. As most would know, fundamentals are what usually guide market price movements over the long-term, so we decided to look at the company's key financial indicators today to determine if they have any role to play in the recent price movement. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech's ROE today.

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

How Is ROE Calculated?

The formula for ROE is:

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

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech is:

8.3% = CN¥175m ÷ CN¥2.1b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every CN¥1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CN¥0.08 in profit.

What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. 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. 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.

Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech's Earnings Growth And 8.3% ROE

When you first look at it, Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech's ROE doesn't look that attractive. However, its ROE is similar to the industry average of 8.2%, so we won't completely dismiss the company. Looking at Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech's exceptional 28% five-year net income growth in particular, we are definitely impressed. Taking into consideration that the ROE is not particularly high, we reckon that there could also be other factors at play which could be influencing the company's growth. For instance, the company has a low payout ratio or is being managed efficiently.

As a next step, we compared Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech'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 8.9%.

Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. 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. If you're wondering about Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech has a three-year median payout ratio of 32% (where it is retaining 68% of its income) which is not too low or not too high. This suggests that its dividend is well covered, and given the high growth we discussed above, it looks like Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech is reinvesting its earnings efficiently.

Additionally, Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech has paid dividends over a period of seven years which means that the company is pretty serious about sharing its profits with shareholders.

Summary

Overall, we feel that Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech certainly does have some positive factors to consider. Even in spite of the low rate of return, the company has posted impressive earnings growth as a result of reinvesting heavily into its business. While we won't completely dismiss the company, what we would do, is try to ascertain how risky the business is to make a more informed decision around the company. To know the 4 risks we have identified for Jiangsu Olive Sensors High-Tech visit our risks dashboard for free.

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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.

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