Yahoo Finance Is The Market Rewarding Montauk Renewables, Inc. (NASDAQ:MNTK) With A Negative Sentiment As A Result Of Its Mixed Fundamentals?
With its stock down 13% over the past week, it is easy to disregard Montauk Renewables (NASDAQ:MNTK). It seems that the market might have completely ignored the positive aspects of the company's fundamentals and decided to weigh-in more on the negative aspects. Long-term fundamentals are usually what drive market outcomes, so it's worth paying close attention. In this article, we decided to focus on Montauk Renewables' ROE.
Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits.
View our latest analysis for Montauk Renewables
How Is ROE Calculated?
Return on equity 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 Montauk Renewables is:
4.7% = US$8.6m ÷ US$183m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022).
The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. So, this means that for every $1 of its shareholder's investments, the company generates a profit of $0.05.
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 all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that don't have the same features.
Montauk Renewables' Earnings Growth And 4.7% ROE
When you first look at it, Montauk Renewables' ROE doesn't look that attractive. Yet, a closer study shows that the company's ROE is similar to the industry average of 4.7%. But then again, Montauk Renewables' five year net income shrunk at a rate of 85%. Bear in mind, the company does have a slightly low ROE. Therefore, the decline in earnings could also be the result of this.
Furthermore, even when compared to the industry, which has been shrinking its earnings at a rate 4.6% in the same period, we found that Montauk Renewables' performance is pretty disappointing, as it suggests that the company has been shrunk its earnings at a rate faster than the industry.
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. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. Is Montauk Renewables fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.
Is Montauk Renewables Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
Because Montauk Renewables doesn't pay any dividends, we infer that it is retaining all of its profits, which is rather perplexing when you consider the fact that there is no earnings growth to show for it. It looks like there might be some other reasons to explain the lack in that respect. For example, the business could be in decline.
Summary
Overall, we have mixed feelings about Montauk Renewables. While the company does have a high rate of reinvestment, the low ROE means that all that reinvestment is not reaping any benefit to its investors, and moreover, its having a negative impact on the earnings growth. Having said that, looking at current analyst estimates, we found that the company's earnings growth rate is expected to see a huge improvement. 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.
