What is Return on Equity (ROE)? Definition, Formula & Examples
Learn what return on equity (ROE) means, how to calculate it, and how investors use ROE to evaluate company profitability and efficiency.
What is Return on Equity?
Return on Equity (ROE) measures how effectively a company uses shareholder equity to generate profits. It shows how much profit is generated for every dollar of shareholders’ investment, making it a key efficiency metric.
ROE Formula
$$\text{ROE} = \frac{\text{Net Income}}{\text{Shareholders’ Equity}} \times 100%$$
Or using average equity:
$$\text{ROE} = \frac{\text{Net Income}}{\text{Average Shareholders’ Equity}} \times 100%$$
Example Calculation
If a company has:
- Net income: $10 million
- Shareholders’ equity: $50 million
ROE = ($10M ÷ $50M) × 100% = 20%
This means the company generates $0.20 of profit for every $1.00 of equity.
What is Shareholders’ Equity?
$$\text{Shareholders’ Equity} = \text{Total Assets} - \text{Total Liabilities}$$
It includes:
- Common stock
- Retained earnings
- Additional paid-in capital
- Treasury stock (subtracted)
ROE Benchmarks
| ROE Level | Assessment |
|---|---|
| 25%+ | Excellent |
| 15-25% | Good |
| 10-15% | Average |
| 5-10% | Below average |
| Under 5% | Poor |
ROE by Industry
| Industry | Typical ROE |
|---|---|
| Technology | 20-35% |
| Healthcare | 15-25% |
| Consumer Staples | 15-25% |
| Financials | 10-15% |
| Utilities | 8-12% |
| Industrials | 12-20% |
Real Company Examples
| Company | ROE |
|---|---|
| Apple | 145% |
| Microsoft | 35% |
| Coca-Cola | 42% |
| JPMorgan | 17% |
| Walmart | 20% |
Note: Apple’s extremely high ROE reflects significant share buybacks reducing equity.
DuPont Analysis
The DuPont framework breaks ROE into three components:
$$\text{ROE} = \text{Net Margin} \times \text{Asset Turnover} \times \text{Equity Multiplier}$$
| Component | Formula | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Net Margin | Net Income ÷ Revenue | Profitability |
| Asset Turnover | Revenue ÷ Assets | Efficiency |
| Equity Multiplier | Assets ÷ Equity | Leverage |
This helps identify whether high ROE comes from profitability, efficiency, or leverage.
Why ROE Matters
1. Measures Efficiency
Shows how well management uses equity capital.
2. Compares Companies
Useful for comparing companies in the same industry.
3. Signals Quality
Consistently high ROE often indicates competitive advantage.
4. Growth Capacity
High ROE companies can grow faster through reinvestment.
Sustainable Growth Rate
Companies can grow without raising capital at this rate:
$$\text{Sustainable Growth Rate} = \text{ROE} \times (1 - \text{Payout Ratio})$$
Higher ROE enables faster sustainable growth.
Limitations of ROE
1. Debt Inflation
High debt reduces equity, artificially boosting ROE.
2. Negative Equity
Companies with negative equity produce meaningless ROE.
3. Buyback Effects
Share repurchases reduce equity, increasing ROE.
4. Industry Differences
Asset-light businesses naturally have higher ROE.
ROE vs. ROA
| Metric | Formula | Measures |
|---|---|---|
| ROE | Net Income ÷ Equity | Return on shareholder investment |
| ROA | Net Income ÷ Assets | Overall asset efficiency |
The difference between ROE and ROA shows the impact of leverage.
Red Flags
- Declining ROE: May signal deteriorating business quality
- Very high ROE (> 50%): Check if driven by excessive leverage or buybacks
- Inconsistent ROE: Indicates unstable profitability
Related Financial Terms
This glossary entry is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.