Yahoo Finance Is ConocoPhillips' (NYSE:COP) Stock's Recent Performance A Reflection Of Its Financial Health?
ConocoPhillips' (NYSE:COP) stock up by 3.2% over the past week. Given that the market rewards strong financials in the long-term, we wonder if that is the case in this instance. In this article, we decided to focus on ConocoPhillips' ROE.
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 simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.
Check out our latest analysis for ConocoPhillips
How To Calculate Return On Equity?
ROE 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 ConocoPhillips is:
33% = US$16b ÷ US$48b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023).
The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.33 in profit.
What Is The Relationship Between ROE And 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.
ConocoPhillips' Earnings Growth And 33% ROE
Firstly, we acknowledge that ConocoPhillips has a significantly high ROE. Additionally, a comparison with the average industry ROE of 33% also portrays the company's ROE in a good light. Given the circumstances, the significant 32% net income growth seen by ConocoPhillips over the last five years is not surprising.
We then compared ConocoPhillips' 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 22% in the same period.
Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. 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. Is ConocoPhillips fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.
Is ConocoPhillips Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
The three-year median payout ratio for ConocoPhillips is 31%, which is moderately low. The company is retaining the remaining 69%. So it seems that ConocoPhillips is reinvesting efficiently in a way that it sees impressive growth in its earnings (discussed above) and pays a dividend that's well covered.
Besides, ConocoPhillips has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more. This shows that the company is committed to sharing profits with its shareholders. Our latest analyst data shows that the future payout ratio of the company over the next three years is expected to be approximately 28%. Regardless, ConocoPhillips' ROE is speculated to decline to 20% despite there being no anticipated change in its payout ratio.
Conclusion
Overall, we are quite pleased with ConocoPhillips' 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. That being so, according to the latest industry analyst forecasts, the company's earnings are expected 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.
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