Is Rush Enterprises, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:RUSH.A) Latest Stock Performance A Reflection Of Its Financial Health?

Rush Enterprises (NASDAQ:RUSH.A) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 17% over the last three months. Given that the market rewards strong financials in the long-term, we wonder if that is the case in this instance. Specifically, we decided to study Rush Enterprises' 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 simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

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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 Rush Enterprises is:

13% = US$288m ÷ US$2.2b (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2025).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. That means that for every $1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated $0.13 in profit.

See our latest analysis for Rush Enterprises

Why Is ROE Important For Earnings Growth?

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

Rush Enterprises' Earnings Growth And 13% ROE

At first glance, Rush Enterprises seems to have a decent ROE. Even when compared to the industry average of 14% the company's ROE looks quite decent. Consequently, this likely laid the ground for the decent growth of 16% seen over the past five years by Rush Enterprises.

As a next step, we compared Rush Enterprises' net income growth with the industry and found that the company has a similar growth figure when compared with the industry average growth rate of 16% in the same 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. 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 Rush Enterprises is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Is Rush Enterprises Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

In Rush Enterprises' case, its respectable earnings growth can probably be explained by its low three-year median payout ratio of 14% (or a retention ratio of 86%), which suggests that the company is investing most of its profits to grow its business.

Additionally, Rush Enterprises has paid dividends over a period of seven years which means that the company is pretty serious about sharing its profits with shareholders.

Summary

On the whole, we feel that Rush Enterprises' performance has been quite good. Particularly, we like that the company is reinvesting heavily into its business, and at a high rate of return. Unsurprisingly, this has led to an impressive earnings growth. That being so, the latest analyst forecasts show that the company will continue to see an expansion in its earnings. 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.