Stock Analysis

Shaniv Paper Industry Ltd (TLV:SHAN) Stock Is Going Strong But Fundamentals Look Uncertain: What Lies Ahead ?

TASE:SHAN
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Most readers would already be aware that Shaniv Paper Industry's (TLV:SHAN) stock increased significantly by 35% over the past three months. However, we decided to pay attention to the company's fundamentals which don't appear to give a clear sign about the company's financial health. In this article, we decided to focus on Shaniv Paper Industry'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.

See our latest analysis for Shaniv Paper Industry

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 Shaniv Paper Industry is:

5.7% = ₪22m ÷ ₪383m (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. One way to conceptualize this is that for each ₪1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made ₪0.06 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. 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 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.

Shaniv Paper Industry's Earnings Growth And 5.7% ROE

On the face of it, Shaniv Paper Industry's ROE is not much to talk about. However, given that the company's ROE is similar to the average industry ROE of 6.3%, we may spare it some thought. But Shaniv Paper Industry saw a five year net income decline of 17% over the past five years. Bear in mind, the company does have a slightly low ROE. Hence, this goes some way in explaining the shrinking earnings.

That being said, we compared Shaniv Paper Industry's performance with the industry and were concerned when we found that while the company has shrunk its earnings, the industry has grown its earnings at a rate of 12% in the same 5-year period.

past-earnings-growth
TASE:SHAN Past Earnings Growth January 3rd 2025

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. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. If you're wondering about Shaniv Paper Industry's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Shaniv Paper Industry Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Despite having a normal three-year median payout ratio of 29% (where it is retaining 71% of its profits), Shaniv Paper Industry has seen a decline in earnings as we saw above. It looks like there might be some other reasons to explain the lack in that respect. For example, the business could be in decline.

Moreover, Shaniv Paper Industry has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more suggesting that management must have perceived that the shareholders prefer dividends over earnings growth.

Summary

Overall, we have mixed feelings about Shaniv Paper Industry. While the company does have a high rate of reinvestment, the low ROE means that all that reinvestment is not reaping any benefit to its investors, and moreover, its having a negative impact on the earnings growth. Wrapping up, we would proceed with caution with this company and one way of doing that would be to look at the risk profile of the business. You can see the 4 risks we have identified for Shaniv Paper Industry by visiting our risks dashboard for free on our platform here.

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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.