SFA Semicon Co., Ltd.'s (KOSDAQ:036540) Stock On An Uptrend: Could Fundamentals Be Driving The Momentum?

SFA Semicon's (KOSDAQ:036540) stock is up by a considerable 38% over the past three months. We wonder if and what role the company's financials play in that price change as a company's long-term fundamentals usually dictate market outcomes. Particularly, we will be paying attention to SFA Semicon's ROE today.

Return on equity or ROE is a key measure used to assess how efficiently a company's management is utilizing the company's capital. In other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.

See our latest analysis for SFA Semicon

How Is ROE Calculated?

Return on equity 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 SFA Semicon is:

4.4% = ₩16b ÷ ₩363b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. Another way to think of that is that for every ₩1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn ₩0.04 in profit.

What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?

Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. 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 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.

A Side By Side comparison of SFA Semicon's Earnings Growth And 4.4% ROE

It is quite clear that SFA Semicon's ROE is rather low. Even compared to the average industry ROE of 8.5%, the company's ROE is quite dismal. In spite of this, SFA Semicon was able to grow its net income considerably, at a rate of 73% in the last five years. We believe that there might be other aspects that are positively influencing the company's earnings growth. For instance, the company has a low payout ratio or is being managed efficiently.

We then compared SFA Semicon'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 period.

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. One good indicator of expected earnings growth is the P/E ratio which determines the price the market is willing to pay for a stock based on its earnings prospects. So, you may want to check if SFA Semicon is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Is SFA Semicon Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Summary

On the whole, we do feel that SFA Semicon has some positive attributes. With a high rate of reinvestment, albeit at a low ROE, the company has managed to see a considerable growth in its earnings. 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 4 risks we have identified for SFA Semicon visit our risks dashboard for free.

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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.
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