Metals X’s (ASX:MLX) stock is up by a considerable 22% over the past month. We wonder if and what role the company’s financials play in that price change as a company’s long-term fundamentals usually dictate market outcomes. Specifically, we decided to study Metals X’s ROE in this article.
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. Simply put, it is used to assess the profitability of a company in relation to its equity capital.
View our latest analysis for Metals X
How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?
The formula for ROE is:
Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders’ Equity
So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Metals X is:
4.4% = AU$15m ÷ AU$334m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
The ‘return’ is the yearly profit. One way to conceptualize this is that for each A$1 of shareholders’ capital it has, the company made A$0.04 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. 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.
A Side By Side comparison of Metals X’s Earnings Growth And 4.4% ROE
On the face of it, Metals X’s ROE is not much to talk about. Next, when compared to the average industry ROE of 10%, the company’s ROE leaves us feeling even less enthusiastic. Despite this, surprisingly, Metals X saw an exceptional 43% net income growth over the past five years. We reckon that there could be other factors at play here. 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.
We then compared Metals X’s net income growth with the industry and we’re pleased to see that the company’s growth figure is higher when compared with the industry which has a growth rate of 21% in the same 5-year period.
Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. The investor should try to establish if the expected growth or decline in earnings, whichever the case may be, is priced in. By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. Is Metals X fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.
Is Metals X Efficiently Re-investing Its Profits?
Metals X doesn’t pay any dividend currently which essentially means that it has been reinvesting all of its profits into the business. This definitely contributes to the high earnings growth number that we discussed above.
Conclusion
In total, it does look like Metals X has some positive aspects to its business. With a high rate of reinvestment, albeit at a low ROE, the company has managed to see a considerable growth in its earnings. 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 2 risks we have identified for Metals X 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.
