Should MGE Energy, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:MGEE) Recent Earnings Decline Worry You?
Increase in profitability and industry-beating performance can be essential considerations in a stock for some investors. In this article, I will take a look at MGE Energy, Inc.'s (NasdaqGS:MGEE) track record on a high level, to give you some insight into how the company has been performing against its historical trend and its industry peers.
See our latest analysis for MGE Energy
Did MGEE perform worse than its track record and industry?
MGEE's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 30 June 2019) of US$85m has declined by -16% compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 5.3%, indicating the rate at which MGEE is growing has slowed down. Why is this? Let's examine what's going on with margins and whether the entire industry is feeling the heat.
In terms of returns from investment, MGE Energy has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 10% instead. However, its return on assets (ROA) of 5.3% exceeds the US Electric Utilities industry of 4.5%, indicating MGE Energy has used its assets more efficiently. Though, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for MGE Energy’s debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 7.8% to 6.4%.
What does this mean?
While past data is useful, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Companies that are profitable, but have capricious earnings, can have many factors influencing its business. I recommend you continue to research MGE Energy to get a better picture of the stock by looking at:
Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for MGEE’s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for MGEE’s outlook.
Financial Health: Are MGEE’s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why we’ve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here.
Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.
NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 30 June 2019. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
