Are Robust Financials Driving The Recent Rally In Tokyo Gas Co.,Ltd.'s (TSE:9531) Stock?
Tokyo GasLtd (TSE:9531) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 21% over the last three months. Given that the market rewards strong financials in the long-term, we wonder if that is the case in this instance. Specifically, we decided to study Tokyo GasLtd's ROE in this article.
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 simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.
How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?
The formula for ROE is:
Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity
So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Tokyo GasLtd is:
11% = JP¥186b ÷ JP¥1.7t (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2025).
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 ¥0.11 in profit.
Check out our latest analysis for Tokyo GasLtd
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. 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 Tokyo GasLtd's Earnings Growth And 11% ROE
To start with, Tokyo GasLtd's ROE looks acceptable. Further, the company's ROE compares quite favorably to the industry average of 8.1%. This probably laid the ground for Tokyo GasLtd's moderate 17% net income growth seen over the past five years.
We then performed a comparison between Tokyo GasLtd's net income growth with the industry, which revealed that the company's growth is similar to the average industry growth of 17% in the same 5-year period.
The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. Is 9531 fairly valued? This infographic on the company's intrinsic value has everything you need to know.
Is Tokyo GasLtd Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?
In Tokyo GasLtd's case, its respectable earnings growth can probably be explained by its low three-year median payout ratio of 19% (or a retention ratio of 81%), which suggests that the company is investing most of its profits to grow its business.
Moreover, Tokyo GasLtd is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of paying a dividend for at least ten years.
Summary
In total, we are pretty happy with Tokyo GasLtd'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. With that said, on studying the latest analyst forecasts, we found that while the company has seen growth in its past earnings, analysts expect its future earnings to shrink. 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.
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.