Capricorn Metals (ASX:CMM) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 19% over the last 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. In this article, we decided to focus on Capricorn Metals’ ROE.
Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. In other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company’s shareholders.
View our latest analysis for Capricorn Metals
How Is ROE Calculated?
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 Capricorn Metals is:
6.0% = AU$19m ÷ AU$308m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
The ‘return’ is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every A$1 worth of shareholders’ equity, the company generated A$0.06 in profit.
What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?
So far, we’ve learned that ROE is a measure of a company’s profitability. 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.
Capricorn Metals’ Earnings Growth And 6.0% ROE
On the face of it, Capricorn Metals’ ROE is not much to talk about. A quick further study shows that the company’s ROE doesn’t compare favorably to the industry average of 10% either. However, we we’re pleasantly surprised to see that Capricorn Metals grew its net income at a significant rate of 54% in the last five years. We reckon that there could be other factors at play here. Such as – high earnings retention or an efficient management in place.
We then compared Capricorn Metals’ 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 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. Doing so will help them establish if the stock’s future looks promising or ominous. Is CMM fairly valued? This infographic on the company’s intrinsic value has everything you need to know.
Is Capricorn Metals Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
Capricorn Metals 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.
Summary
Overall, we feel that Capricorn Metals 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. That being so, a study of the latest analyst forecasts show that the company is expected to see a slowdown in its future earnings growth. 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.
Valuation is complex, but we’re helping make it simple.
Find out whether Capricorn Metals is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.
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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.
