Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd's (SHSE:603815) stock is up by a considerable 16% over the past month. 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 Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd'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. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits.

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 Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd is:

8.1% = CN¥192m ÷ CN¥2.4b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. One way to conceptualize this is that for each CN¥1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made CN¥0.08 in profit.

What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?

Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. 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 all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features.

Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd's Earnings Growth And 8.1% ROE

At first glance, Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd's ROE doesn't look very promising. Yet, a closer study shows that the company's ROE is similar to the industry average of 7.7%. Even so, Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd has shown a fairly decent growth in its net income which grew at a rate of 14%. 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. Such as - high earnings retention or an efficient management in place.

As a next step, we compared Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd'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 8.4%.

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). This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. If you're wondering about Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd has a three-year median payout ratio of 33%, which implies that it retains the remaining 67% 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.

Additionally, Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd has paid dividends over a period of four years which means that the company is pretty serious about sharing its profits with shareholders.

Summary

Overall, we feel that Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd 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 1 risk we have identified for Anhui Gourgen Traffic ConstructionLtd 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.