Yahoo Finance Thomson Reuters Corporation's (TSE:TRI) Stock Has Been Sliding But Fundamentals Look Strong: Is The Market Wrong?
With its stock down 10% over the past three months, it is easy to disregard Thomson Reuters (TSE:TRI). However, a closer look at its sound financials might cause you to think again. Given that fundamentals usually drive long-term market outcomes, the company is worth looking at. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Thomson Reuters' 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. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.
Check out our latest analysis for Thomson Reuters
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 Thomson Reuters is:
41% = US$5.7b ÷ US$14b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).
The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. That means that for every CA$1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated CA$0.41 in profit.
Why Is ROE Important For Earnings Growth?
So far, we've learned that ROE is a measure of a company's profitability. 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. 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.
Thomson Reuters' Earnings Growth And 41% ROE
First thing first, we like that Thomson Reuters has an impressive ROE. Additionally, the company's ROE is higher compared to the industry average of 15% which is quite remarkable. As a result, Thomson Reuters' exceptional 58% net income growth seen over the past five years, doesn't come as a surprise.
We then compared Thomson Reuters' 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 19% in the same period.
Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. 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. Has the market priced in the future outlook for TRI? You can find out in our latest intrinsic value infographic research report.
Is Thomson Reuters Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
Thomson Reuters has a three-year median payout ratio of 46% (where it is retaining 54% of its income) which is not too low or not too high. This suggests that its dividend is well covered, and given the high growth we discussed above, it looks like Thomson Reuters is reinvesting its earnings efficiently.
Besides, Thomson Reuters has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more. 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 53%. However, Thomson Reuters' future ROE is expected to decline to 13% despite there being not much change anticipated in the company's payout ratio.
Conclusion
On the whole, we feel that Thomson Reuters' performance has been quite good. 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. Having said that, on studying current analyst estimates, we were concerned to see that while the company has grown its earnings in the past, analysts expect its earnings to shrink in the future. To know more about the latest analysts predictions for the company, check out this visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.
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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.