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Epwin Group PLC's (LON:EPWN) Earnings Dropped -6.9%, How Did It Fare Against The Industry?

Today I will examine Epwin Group PLC's (LON:EPWN) latest earnings update (31 December 2018) and compare these figures against its performance over the past couple of years, in addition to how the rest of EPWN's industry performed. As a long-term investor, I find it useful to analyze the company's trend over time in order to estimate whether or not the company is able to meet its goals, and eventually grow sustainably over time.

View our latest analysis for Epwin Group

How Did EPWN's Recent Performance Stack Up Against Its Past?

EPWN's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2018) of UK£11m has declined by -6.9% compared to the previous year.

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Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of 2.4%, indicating the rate at which EPWN is growing has slowed down. What could be happening here? Let's examine what's transpiring with margins and if the whole industry is feeling the heat.

AIM:EPWN Income Statement, August 19th 2019
AIM:EPWN Income Statement, August 19th 2019

In terms of returns from investment, Epwin Group has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 12% instead. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 6.6% is below the GB Building industry of 6.9%, indicating Epwin Group's are utilized less efficiently. And finally, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Epwin Group’s debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 17% to 13%.

What does this mean?

While past data is useful, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Usually companies that face an extended period of decline in earnings are going through some sort of reinvestment phase Although, if the entire industry is struggling to grow over time, it may be a indicator of a structural change, which makes Epwin Group and its peers a riskier investment. I recommend you continue to research Epwin Group to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at:

  1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for EPWN’s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for EPWN’s outlook.

  2. Financial Health: Are EPWN’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.

  3. 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 31 December 2018. 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.