Advertisement
UK markets closed
  • NIKKEI 225

    37,628.48
    -831.60 (-2.16%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    17,284.54
    +83.27 (+0.48%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    83.77
    +0.96 (+1.16%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,344.30
    +5.90 (+0.25%)
     
  • DOW

    38,085.80
    -375.12 (-0.98%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    51,824.18
    +602.42 (+1.18%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,399.48
    +16.91 (+1.22%)
     
  • NASDAQ Composite

    15,611.76
    -100.99 (-0.64%)
     
  • UK FTSE All Share

    4,387.94
    +13.88 (+0.32%)
     

Is Weakness In Intercede Group plc (LON:IGP) Stock A Sign That The Market Could be Wrong Given Its Strong Financial Prospects?

With its stock down 8.8% over the past three months, it is easy to disregard Intercede Group (LON:IGP). However, stock prices are usually driven by a company’s financial performance over the long term, which in this case looks quite promising. In this article, we decided to focus on Intercede Group's 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. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

Check out our latest analysis for Intercede Group

How Is ROE Calculated?

ROE can be calculated by using the formula:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity

ADVERTISEMENT

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Intercede Group is:

13% = UK£723k ÷ UK£5.5m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022).

The 'return' is the yearly profit. So, this means that for every £1 of its shareholder's investments, the company generates a profit of £0.13.

What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?

Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. 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.

Intercede Group's Earnings Growth And 13% ROE

To begin with, Intercede Group seems to have a respectable ROE. On comparing with the average industry ROE of 8.9% the company's ROE looks pretty remarkable. This probably laid the ground for Intercede Group's significant 70% net income growth seen over the past five years. However, there could also be other causes behind this growth. For example, it is possible that the company's management has made some good strategic decisions, or that the company has a low payout ratio.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Intercede Group's growth is quite high when compared to the industry average growth of 14% in the same period, which is great to see.

past-earnings-growth
past-earnings-growth

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. The investor should try to establish if the expected growth or decline in earnings, whichever the case may be, is priced in. By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. If you're wondering about Intercede Group's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Intercede Group Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

Given that Intercede Group doesn't pay any dividend to its shareholders, we infer that the company has been reinvesting all of its profits to grow its business.

Conclusion

In total, we are pretty happy with Intercede Group's performance. In particular, it's great to see that the company is investing heavily into its business and along with a high rate of return, that has resulted in a sizeable growth in its earnings. If the company continues to grow its earnings the way it has, that could have a positive impact on its share price given how earnings per share influence long-term share prices. Not to forget, share price outcomes are also dependent on the potential risks a company may face. So it is important for investors to be aware of the risks involved in the business. To know the 2 risks we have identified for Intercede Group visit our risks dashboard for free.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.

Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here