While some investors are already familiar with financial metrics (hat trick), this article is for those who want to learn more about return on equity (ROE) and why it matters. To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we’ll use ROE to better understand Angelalign Technology Inc. (HKG:6699).
Return on equity or ROE is a key metric used to gauge how effectively a company’s management is using the company’s capital. In other words, it reveals the company’s success in turning shareholders’ investments into profits.
Check out our latest analysis for Angelalign technology
How is ROE calculated?
the return on equity formula is:
Return on equity = Net income (from continuing operations) ÷ Equity
So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Angelalign Technology is:
8.6% = 286 million Canadian yen ÷ 3.3 billion domestic yen (based on the last twelve months to December 2021).
The “return” is the annual profit. So this means that for every HK$1 investment of its shareholder, the company generates a profit of HK$0.09.
Does Angelalign technology have a good ROE?
A simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, as companies differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see that Angelalign Technology has an ROE similar to the medical equipment industry classification average (11%).
It’s not surprising, but it’s respectable. Even if the ROE is respectable compared to the industry, it is worth checking whether the company’s ROE is helped by high debt levels. If so, this increases its exposure to financial risk.
What is the impact of debt on ROE?
Virtually all businesses need money to invest in the business, to increase their profits. The money for the investment can come from the previous year’s earnings (retained earnings), from issuing new shares or from borrowing. In the first and second case, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, debt used for growth will enhance returns, but will not affect total equity. So using debt can improve ROE, but with the added risk of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking.
Angelalign Technology’s debt and its ROE of 8.6%
Angelalign Technology has no net debt, which is positive for shareholders. While I don’t find his ROE all that impressive, it’s worth remembering that he achieved those returns without going into debt. After all, with cash on the balance sheet, a business has many more options in good times and bad.
Conclusion
Return on equity is a way to compare the business quality of different companies. In our books, the highest quality companies have a high return on equity, despite low leverage. All things being equal, a higher ROE is better.
That said, while ROE is a useful indicator of a company’s quality, you’ll need to consider a whole host of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. It is important to consider other factors, such as future earnings growth and the amount of investment needed in the future. You might want to check out this FREE analyst forecast visualization for the company.
But note: Angelalign Technology may not be the best stock to buy. So take a look at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.
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This Simply Wall St article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell stocks and does not take into account your objectives or financial situation. Our goal is to bring you targeted long-term analysis based on fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not take into account the latest announcements from price-sensitive companies or qualitative materials. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.