Waffer Technology Corporation's (TWSE:6235) Stock Has Been Sliding But Fundamentals Look Strong: Is The Market Wrong?

With its stock down 15% over the past month, it is easy to disregard Waffer Technology (TWSE:6235). But if you pay close attention, you might gather that its strong financials could mean that the stock could potentially see an increase in value in the long-term, given how markets usually reward companies with good financial health. Specifically, we decided to study Waffer Technology's ROE in this article.

Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors’ money. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

See our latest analysis for Waffer Technology

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 Waffer Technology is:

16% = NT$708m ÷ NT$4.3b (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every NT$1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated NT$0.16 in profit.

What Has ROE Got To Do With 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. Generally speaking, other things being equal, firms with a high return on equity and profit retention, have a higher growth rate than firms that don’t share these attributes.

Waffer Technology's Earnings Growth And 16% ROE

At first glance, Waffer Technology seems to have a decent ROE. Especially when compared to the industry average of 9.8% the company's ROE looks pretty impressive. Probably as a result of this, Waffer Technology was able to see an impressive net income growth of 40% over the last five years. We reckon that there could also be other factors at play here. 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.

We then compared Waffer Technology'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 11% in the same 5-year period.

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. 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 Waffer Technology is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Is Waffer Technology Efficiently Re-investing Its Profits?

Waffer Technology's three-year median payout ratio is a pretty moderate 31%, meaning the company retains 69% of its income. This suggests that its dividend is well covered, and given the high growth we discussed above, it looks like Waffer Technology is reinvesting its earnings efficiently.

Besides, Waffer Technology has been paying dividends over a period of eight years. This shows that the company is committed to sharing profits with its shareholders.

Conclusion

In total, we are pretty happy with Waffer Technology's performance. Specifically, we like that the company is reinvesting a huge chunk of its profits at a high rate of return. This of course has caused the company to see substantial growth in its earnings. 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 company's future earnings growth forecasts take a look at this free report on analyst forecasts for the company to find out more.

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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.