Napco Security Technologies' (NASDAQ:NSSC) stock is up by a considerable 33% over the past three months. Given the company's impressive performance, we decided to study its financial indicators more closely as a company's financial health over the long-term usually dictates market outcomes. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Napco Security Technologies' 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 simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

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 Napco Security Technologies is:

28% = US$47m ÷ US$168m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. That means that for every $1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated $0.28 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. 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. 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.

A Side By Side comparison of Napco Security Technologies' Earnings Growth And 28% ROE

First thing first, we like that Napco Security Technologies has an impressive ROE. Additionally, the company's ROE is higher compared to the industry average of 9.5% which is quite remarkable. So, the substantial 30% net income growth seen by Napco Security Technologies over the past five years isn't overly surprising.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Napco Security Technologies' growth is quite high when compared to the industry average growth of 15% in the same period, which is great to see.

Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. It's important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. Has the market priced in the future outlook for NSSC? You can find out in our latest intrinsic value infographic research report.

Is Napco Security Technologies Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Napco Security Technologies has a really low three-year median payout ratio of 17%, meaning that it has the remaining 83% left over to reinvest into its business. This suggests that the management is reinvesting most of the profits to grow the business as evidenced by the growth seen by the company.

While Napco Security Technologies has seen growth in its earnings, it only recently started to pay a dividend. It is most likely that the company decided to impress new and existing shareholders with a dividend.

Summary

In total, we are pretty happy with Napco Security Technologies' performance. In particular, it's great to see that the company is investing heavily into its business and along with a high rate of return, that has resulted in a sizeable growth in its earnings. The latest industry analyst forecasts show that the company is expected to maintain its current growth rate. To know more about the latest analysts predictions for the company, check out this visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.

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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