Stock Analysis
Leon Technology Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:300603) Stock On An Uptrend: Could Fundamentals Be Driving The Momentum?
Leon Technology's (SZSE:300603) stock is up by a considerable 22% over the past month. Given that stock prices are usually aligned with a company's financial performance in the long-term, we decided to study its financial indicators more closely to see if they had a hand to play in the recent price move. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Leon Technology's ROE today.
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.
Check out our latest analysis for Leon Technology
How Is ROE Calculated?
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 Leon Technology is:
0.7% = CN¥11m ÷ CN¥1.5b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).
The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. So, this means that for every CN¥1 of its shareholder's investments, the company generates a profit of CN¥0.01.
What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?
So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. 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. 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.
Leon Technology's Earnings Growth And 0.7% ROE
As you can see, Leon Technology's ROE looks pretty weak. Not just that, even compared to the industry average of 4.6%, the company's ROE is entirely unremarkable. Thus, the low net income growth of 2.8% seen by Leon Technology over the past five years could probably be the result of it having a lower ROE.
We then performed a comparison between Leon Technology's net income growth with the industry, which revealed that the company's growth is similar to the average industry growth of 2.5% in the same 5-year period.
Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. The investor should try to establish if the expected growth or decline in earnings, whichever the case may be, is priced in. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. If you're wondering about Leon Technology's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.
Is Leon Technology Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
Leon Technology doesn't pay any regular dividends, meaning that potentially all of its profits are being reinvested in the business. However, there's only been very little earnings growth to show for it. Therefore, there might be some other reasons to explain the lack in that respect. For example, the business could be in decline.
Conclusion
On the whole, we do feel that Leon Technology has some positive attributes. Specifically, its fairly high earnings growth number, which no doubt was backed by the company's high earnings retention. Still, the low ROE means that all that reinvestment is not reaping a lot of benefit to the investors. 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 Leon Technology 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.
About SZSE:300603
Leon Technology
Provides information and communication technology services in China.