Most readers would already be aware that Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd's (SHSE:603275) stock increased significantly by 47% over the past three months. 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 Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd's 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.

How Is ROE Calculated?

ROE 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 Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd is:

7.4% = CN¥203m ÷ CN¥2.8b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. That means that for every CN¥1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CN¥0.07 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. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or "retains", and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a company's earnings growth potential. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics.

Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd's Earnings Growth And 7.4% ROE

On the face of it, Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd's ROE is not much to talk about. However, given that the company's ROE is similar to the average industry ROE of 6.5%, we may spare it some thought. Having said that, Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd has shown a modest net income growth of 6.6% over the past five years. 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 example, it is possible that the company's management has made some good strategic decisions, or that the company has a low payout ratio.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd's reported growth was lower than the industry growth of 10% over the last few years, which is not something we like to see.

Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. Is Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Is Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

In Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd's case, its respectable earnings growth can probably be explained by its low three-year median payout ratio of 11% (or a retention ratio of 89%), which suggests that the company is investing most of its profits to grow its business.

While Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd has been growing its earnings, it only recently started to pay dividends which likely means that the company decided to impress new and existing shareholders with a dividend.

Summary

In total, it does look like Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd has some positive aspects to its business. That is, a decent growth in earnings backed by a high rate of reinvestment. However, we do feel that that earnings growth could have been higher if the business were to improve on the low ROE rate. Especially given how the company is reinvesting a huge chunk of its profits. 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 1 risk we have identified for Shanghai Zhongchen Electronic TechnologyLtd visit our risks dashboard for free.

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.