Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD's (SZSE:002550) stock is up by a considerable 23% over the past three months. However, in this article, we decided to focus on its weak fundamentals, as long-term financial performance of a business is what ultimately dictates market outcomes. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD'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 other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD

How Do You 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 Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD is:

10% = CN¥250m ÷ CN¥2.5b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. Another way to think of that is that for every CN¥1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn CN¥0.10 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. 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.

Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD's Earnings Growth And 10% ROE

When you first look at it, Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD's ROE doesn't look that attractive. Yet, a closer study shows that the company's ROE is similar to the industry average of 8.5%. Having said that, Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD has shown a meagre net income growth of 4.7% over the past five years. Remember, the company's ROE is not particularly great to begin with. So this could also be one of the reasons behind the company's low growth in earnings.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD's reported growth was lower than the industry growth of 11% over the last few years, which is not something we like to see.

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. It's important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. If you're wondering about Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD has a three-year median payout ratio of 56% (implying that it keeps only 44% of its profits), meaning that it pays out most of its profits to shareholders as dividends, and as a result, the company has seen low earnings growth.

Moreover, Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more suggesting that management must have perceived that the shareholders prefer dividends over earnings growth.

Summary

In total, we would have a hard think before deciding on any investment action concerning Changzhou Qianhong BiopharmaLTD. Because the company is not reinvesting much into the business, and given the low ROE, it's not surprising to see the lack or absence of growth in its earnings. With that said, the latest industry analyst forecasts reveal that the company's earnings are expected to accelerate. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the company's fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analyst's forecasts page for the company.

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.