Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited's (NSE:KALPATPOWR) Stock Has Been Sliding But Fundamentals Look Strong: Is The Market Wrong?

It is hard to get excited after looking at Kalpataru Power Transmission's (NSE:KALPATPOWR) recent performance, when its stock has declined 10% over the past three months. However, a closer look at its sound financials might cause you to think again. Given that fundamentals usually drive long-term market outcomes, the company is worth looking at. In this article, we decided to focus on Kalpataru Power Transmission's ROE.

Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors’ money. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

See our latest analysis for Kalpataru Power Transmission

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

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 Kalpataru Power Transmission is:

8.9% = ₹3.1b ÷ ₹35b (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each ₹1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made ₹0.09 in profit.

Why Is ROE Important For Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. 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.

Kalpataru Power Transmission's Earnings Growth And 8.9% ROE

It is hard to argue that Kalpataru Power Transmission's ROE is much good in and of itself. However, when compared to the industry average of 6.7%, we do feel there's definitely more to the company. Particularly, the substantial 23% net income growth seen by Kalpataru Power Transmission over the past five years is impressive . Bear in mind, the company does have a low ROE. It is just that the industry ROE is lower. Hence, there might be some other aspects that are causing earnings to grow. 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.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Kalpataru Power Transmission's growth is quite high when compared to the industry average growth of 9.3% in the same period, which is great to see.

Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. 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. Has the market priced in the future outlook for KALPATPOWR? You can find out in our latest intrinsic value infographic research report.

Is Kalpataru Power Transmission Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Kalpataru Power Transmission has a really low three-year median payout ratio of 14%, meaning that it has the remaining 86% left over to reinvest into its business. This suggests that the management is reinvesting most of the profits to grow the business as evidenced by the growth seen by the company.

Moreover, Kalpataru Power Transmission is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of paying a dividend for at least ten years. Based on the latest analysts' estimates, we found that the company's future payout ratio over the next three years is expected to hold steady at 13%. Regardless, the future ROE for Kalpataru Power Transmission is predicted to rise to 13% despite there being not much change expected in its payout ratio.

Summary

In total, we are pretty happy with Kalpataru Power Transmission's performance. In particular, it's great to see that the company has seen significant growth in its earnings backed by a respectable ROE and a high reinvestment rate. The latest industry analyst forecasts show that the company is expected to maintain its current growth rate. 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.

When trading Kalpataru Power Transmission or any other investment, use the platform considered by many to be the Professional's Gateway to the Worlds Market, Interactive Brokers. You get the lowest-cost* trading on stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account. Promoted

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
^*Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.