Will Weakness in Masterflex SE's (ETR:MZX) Stock Prove Temporary Given Strong Fundamentals?
It is hard to get excited after looking at Masterflex's (ETR:MZX) recent performance, when its stock has declined 20% over the past three months. But if you pay close attention, you might gather that its strong financials could mean that the stock could potentially see an increase in value in the long-term, given how markets usually reward companies with good financial health. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Masterflex's ROE today.
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 short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.
See our latest analysis for Masterflex
How Is ROE Calculated?
The formula for return on equity is:
Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity
So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Masterflex is:
14% = €7.4m ÷ €54m (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).
The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every €1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated €0.14 in profit.
Why Is ROE Important For 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.
A Side By Side comparison of Masterflex's Earnings Growth And 14% ROE
To start with, Masterflex's ROE looks acceptable. Further, the company's ROE is similar to the industry average of 14%. Consequently, this likely laid the ground for the impressive net income growth of 20% seen over the past five years by Masterflex. However, there could also be other drivers behind this growth. For instance, the company has a low payout ratio or is being managed efficiently.
Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Masterflex's growth is quite high when compared to the industry average growth of 7.2% in the same period, which is great to see.
Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. It’s important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. Is Masterflex fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.
Is Masterflex Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
The three-year median payout ratio for Masterflex is 30%, which is moderately low. The company is retaining the remaining 70%. This suggests that its dividend is well covered, and given the high growth we discussed above, it looks like Masterflex is reinvesting its earnings efficiently.
Besides, Masterflex has been paying dividends over a period of six years. This shows that the company is committed to sharing profits with its shareholders. Upon studying the latest analysts' consensus data, we found that the company is expected to keep paying out approximately 30% of its profits over the next three years. As a result, Masterflex's ROE is not expected to change by much either, which we inferred from the analyst estimate of 16% for future ROE.
Conclusion
On the whole, we feel that Masterflex's performance has been quite good. Particularly, we like that the company is reinvesting heavily into its business, and at a high rate of return. Unsurprisingly, this has led to an impressive earnings growth. Having said that, the company's earnings growth is expected to slow down, as forecasted in the current analyst estimates. 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.