Guess', Inc.'s (NYSE:GES) Stock Been Rising: Are Strong Financials Guiding The Market?
Guess''s (NYSE:GES) stock is up by 2.4% over the past three months. Given that the market rewards strong financials in the long-term, we wonder if that is the case in this instance. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Guess''s ROE today.
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 simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.
See our latest analysis for Guess'
How To Calculate Return On Equity?
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 Guess' is:
27% = US$181m ÷ US$663m (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2021).
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 $0.27 in profit.
What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?
So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. 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 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 Guess''s Earnings Growth And 27% ROE
Firstly, we acknowledge that Guess' has a significantly high ROE. Even when compared to the industry average of 31% the company's ROE is pretty decent. Therefore, it looks like the high ROE is what probably supported Guess''s modest 18% growth over the past five years.
Next, on comparing Guess''s net income growth with the industry, we found that the company's reported growth is similar to the industry average growth rate of 18% in the same period.
Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. It’s important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. What is GES worth today? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether GES is currently mispriced by the market.
Is Guess' Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?
Guess''s three-year median payout ratio to shareholders is 17% (implying that it retains 83% of its income), which is on the lower side, so it seems like the management is reinvesting profits heavily to grow its business.
Besides, Guess' has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more. This shows that the company is committed to sharing profits with its shareholders.
Summary
On the whole, we feel that Guess''s performance has been quite good. 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. We also studied the latest analyst forecasts and found that the company's earnings growth is expected be similar to its current growth rate. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the company's fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analyst's forecasts page for the company.
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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.
