Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd (SHSE:600596) has had a rough three months with its share price down 8.2%. However, stock prices are usually driven by a company's financials over the long term, which in this case look pretty respectable. In this article, we decided to focus on Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd's ROE.

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. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

View our latest analysis for Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

ROE 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 Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd is:

2.6% = CN¥311m ÷ CN¥12b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every CN¥1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CN¥0.03 in profit.

Why Is ROE Important For 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.

Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd's Earnings Growth And 2.6% ROE

As you can see, Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd's ROE looks pretty weak. Even when compared to the industry average of 6.8%, the ROE figure is pretty disappointing. Despite this, surprisingly, Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd saw an exceptional 24% net income growth over the past five years. We believe that there might be other aspects that are positively influencing the company's earnings growth. Such as - high earnings retention or an efficient management in place.

We then compared Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd'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 12% in the same 5-year period.

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). Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. Is Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Is Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd's ' three-year median payout ratio is on the lower side at 23% implying that it is retaining a higher percentage (77%) of its profits. This suggests that the management is reinvesting most of the profits to grow the business as evidenced by the growth seen by the company.

Besides, Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more. This shows that the company is committed to sharing profits with its shareholders.

Summary

Overall, we feel that Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial GroupLtd 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. Having said that, looking at the current analyst estimates, we found that the company's earnings are expected to gain momentum. To know more about the latest analysts predictions for the company, check out this visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.

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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.