Advertisement
Canada markets close in 4 hours 27 minutes
  • S&P/TSX

    21,774.18
    +45.63 (+0.21%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,033.64
    +15.25 (+0.30%)
     
  • DOW

    38,046.64
    +143.35 (+0.38%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7299
    +0.0018 (+0.24%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    78.77
    -0.23 (-0.29%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    81,319.33
    +3,206.17 (+4.10%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,277.07
    +6.32 (+0.50%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,314.50
    +3.50 (+0.15%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,000.56
    +20.33 (+1.03%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.6120
    +0.0170 (+0.37%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    15,711.40
    +105.92 (+0.68%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    14.94
    -0.45 (-2.92%)
     
  • FTSE

    8,174.31
    +53.07 (+0.65%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    38,236.07
    -37.98 (-0.10%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6819
    +0.0026 (+0.38%)
     

Could The Market Be Wrong About Imaflex Inc. (CVE:IFX) Given Its Attractive Financial Prospects?

It is hard to get excited after looking at Imaflex's (CVE:IFX) recent performance, when its stock has declined 28% over the past three months. However, stock prices are usually driven by a company’s financial performance over the long term, which in this case looks quite promising. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Imaflex'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 other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders.

Check out our latest analysis for Imaflex

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for return on equity is:

ADVERTISEMENT

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

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Imaflex is:

14% = CA$8.0m ÷ CA$56m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023).

The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. That means that for every CA$1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CA$0.14 in profit.

What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth?

So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or "retains" for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. 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.

A Side By Side comparison of Imaflex's Earnings Growth And 14% ROE

At first glance, Imaflex seems to have a decent ROE. And on comparing with the industry, we found that the the average industry ROE is similar at 14%. Consequently, this likely laid the ground for the impressive net income growth of 28% seen over the past five years by Imaflex. We believe that there might also be other aspects that are positively influencing the company's earnings growth. Such as - high earnings retention or an efficient management in place.

We then compared Imaflex's 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 6.3% in the same 5-year period.

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 Imaflex's's valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Imaflex Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

Imaflex doesn't pay any dividend currently which essentially means that it has been reinvesting all of its profits into the business. This definitely contributes to the high earnings growth number that we discussed above.

Conclusion

In total, we are pretty happy with Imaflex's performance. Specifically, we like that the company is reinvesting a huge chunk of its profits at a high rate of return. This of course has caused the company to see substantial 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 Imaflex 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