Is The United Laboratories International Holdings Limited's (HKG:3933) Stock's Recent Performance Being Led By Its Attractive Financial Prospects?

Most readers would already be aware that United Laboratories International Holdings' (HKG:3933) stock increased significantly by 30% over the past three months. Given the company's impressive performance, we decided to study its financial indicators more closely as a company's financial health over the long-term usually dictates market outcomes. Particularly, we will be paying attention to United Laboratories International Holdings' ROE today.

Return on equity or ROE is a key measure used to assess how efficiently a company's management is utilizing the company's capital. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits.

See our latest analysis for United Laboratories International Holdings

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

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 United Laboratories International Holdings is:

21% = CN¥2.9b ÷ CN¥14b (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every HK$1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn HK$0.21 in profit.

What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or "retains", and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a company’s earnings growth potential. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics.

A Side By Side comparison of United Laboratories International Holdings' Earnings Growth And 21% ROE

At first glance, United Laboratories International Holdings seems to have a decent ROE. On comparing with the average industry ROE of 11% the company's ROE looks pretty remarkable. Probably as a result of this, United Laboratories International Holdings was able to see an impressive net income growth of 34% over the last five years. We reckon that there could also be other factors at play here. For instance, the company has a low payout ratio or is being managed efficiently.

We then compared United Laboratories International Holdings' net income growth with the industry and we're pleased to see that the company's growth figure is higher when compared with the industry which has a growth rate of 4.3% in the same 5-year period.

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 United Laboratories International Holdings fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Is United Laboratories International Holdings Efficiently Re-investing Its Profits?

United Laboratories International Holdings' ' three-year median payout ratio is on the lower side at 23% implying that it is retaining a higher percentage (77%) of its profits. So it looks like United Laboratories International Holdings is reinvesting profits heavily to grow its business, which shows in its earnings growth.

Besides, United Laboratories International Holdings has been paying dividends over a period of seven years. This shows that the company is committed to sharing profits with its shareholders. Based on the latest analysts' estimates, we found that the company's future payout ratio over the next three years is expected to hold steady at 22%. Accordingly, forecasts suggest that United Laboratories International Holdings' future ROE will be 19% which is again, similar to the current ROE.

Conclusion

On the whole, we feel that United Laboratories International Holdings' 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. With that said, the latest industry analyst forecasts reveal that the company's earnings growth is expected to slow down. 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.