Is Scott Technology Limited's (NZSE:SCT) Recent Performancer Underpinned By Weak Financials?
With its stock down 10% over the past three months, it is easy to disregard Scott Technology (NZSE:SCT). To decide if this trend could continue, we decided to look at its weak fundamentals as they shape the long-term market trends. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Scott Technology'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 other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.
View our latest analysis for Scott Technology
How Do You 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 Scott Technology is:
9.2% = NZ$9.6m ÷ NZ$104m (Based on the trailing twelve months to February 2022).
The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every NZ$1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn NZ$0.09 in profit.
What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?
We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. 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. 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.
A Side By Side comparison of Scott Technology's Earnings Growth And 9.2% ROE
On the face of it, Scott Technology's ROE is not much to talk about. Yet, a closer study shows that the company's ROE is similar to the industry average of 9.9%. Having said that, Scott Technology's five year net income decline rate was 22%. Bear in mind, the company does have a slightly low ROE. Hence, this goes some way in explaining the shrinking earnings.
So, as a next step, we compared Scott Technology's performance against the industry and were disappointed to discover that while the company has been shrinking its earnings, the industry has been growing its earnings at a rate of 7.9% in the same 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. Is Scott Technology fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.
Is Scott Technology Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?
Scott Technology has a high three-year median payout ratio of 57% (that is, it is retaining 43% of its profits). This suggests that the company is paying most of its profits as dividends to its shareholders. This goes some way in explaining why its earnings have been shrinking. With only very little left to reinvest into the business, growth in earnings is far from likely.
Additionally, Scott Technology has paid dividends over a period of at least ten years, which means that the company's management is determined to pay dividends even if it means little to no earnings growth.
Summary
In total, we would have a hard think before deciding on any investment action concerning Scott Technology. As a result of its low ROE and lack of much reinvestment into the business, the company has seen a disappointing earnings growth rate. So far, we've only made a quick discussion around the company's earnings growth. To gain further insights into Scott Technology's past profit growth, check out this visualization of past earnings, revenue and cash flows.
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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.
