Comprehensive Ratio Analysis
Comprehensive Ratio Analysis
Comprehensive Ratio Analysis
The Dupont General Formula is: RETURN on EQUITY is equal to Profitability X Efficiency / ( 1 - Leverage % )
Or Return on Equity = (Net Profit / Sales) X (Sales / Net
Assets) / (Equity / Net Assets )
Profitability Ratios
The usual method for analysing Profitability is with a "Common Size Income Statement". In this statement each line of the Income Statement
(Profit and Loss Account) is expressed as a percentage of Sales. In this way any source of improvement or deterioration in Profitability can be
identified. Another form of analysis of the Common Size Income statement which can be used is called "Horizontal Analysis". In this type of
analysis the % growth of each line on the profit and loss account from one year to the next is calculated, again to identify the source of any problem.
Operating Profit Margin Operating Profit / Sales Alternative terms for Operating Profit are "Profit before Interest and Taxation"
or "Earnings before Interest & Taxation". It is usually the Sub-total row on the
Profit and Loss Account befor the Row entitled Interest.
Net Profit Margin Net Profit / Sales Alternative terms for Net Profit are "Profit after Taxation", "Earnings after Tax"
or "Net Income" . It is usually the last row on the Profit and Loss Account
before the Row/s entitled Dividends.
Efficiency ratios deal with the efficiency with which Management has used the assets employed in the business.
Various Asset Turnover ratios can be calculated and any improvement or deterioration in performance can be identified
Commonly Calculated Efficiency Ratios are:
Creditors (Payables) Turnover Total Annual Credit Purchases / This is not usually disclosed in Published Accounts
Creditors
Expressed as a number of times eg 2.5
times
Can be expressed as a number of Days
Neither of these ratios is theoretically perfect. Return on net assets is calculated after deduction of interest and Operating Profits are subject to
Taxation after interest has been deducted. Operating profit flows to three destinations: THE GOVERNMENT ( Taxes on Profits); LENDERS
(Interest) and SHAREHOLDERS (Dividends plus Retained Profits). Net Profit only flows to SHAREHOLDERS though a part of the NET ASSETS are
Financed by LENDERS.
Therefore a further Ratio has been suggested as being the true measure for a combination of Profitability and Efficiency Ratios
NOPAT only flows to two destinations: LENDERS and SHAREHOLDERS who have financed NET ASSETS through LOANS and EQUITY
Also Known as
Return on Shareholders Funds
REMEMBER
RETURN on EQUITY is equal to Profitability X Efficiency / ( 1 -
Leverage % )
Or Return on Equity = (Net Profit / Sales) X (Sales / Net
Assets) / (Equity / Net Assets )
Liquidity Ratios
These are of use to those who have lent money to the company or are supplying goods on credit to the company.
They are a measure of how easily current assets can be turned into cash to pay lenders or suppliers
RATIO CALCULATION METHOD NOTES
Current Ratio Current Assets / Current Liabilities Current Assets = Stocks ( Inventories ) + Debtors (Receivables) + Cash
Current Liabilities = Creditors (Payables) + Overdraft
Quick Ratio or Acid Test Ratio (Cash + Debtors) / Current Liabilities Debtors should be able to be converted into cash quickly to pay current
liabilities
Before an investment in a company is considered a thorough analysis of the data pertaining to the company should be undertaken. Financial
Analysts refer to this as Fundamental Analysis. It comprises of a calculation of the ratios outlined above as well as additional calculations
outlined below. The investors may be Providers of Loans, for which they will receive returns in the form of interest payments.
Or these investors may wish to purchase Ordinary Shares in the Company. In this case returns they receive will be in the form of
Capital Gains from increases in the share price plus Income from Dividends.
Additional Ratios for Lenders
RATIO / STATISTIC CALCULATION METHOD NOTES
Interest Cover Operating Profit / Interest The higher this ratio the more likely it is that a company will be able to meet its
interest payments in the event of a deterioration in its trading situation
Usually expressed as a Number of Times The level of interest cover also determines the Interest Costs a company will
(US Terminology Times Interest Earned) pay for loans. Lower levels of Interest Cover mean that the Company is more
risky to lend to, so if it is more risky the lenders will require higher returns.
The REQUIRED RATE OF RETURN is then plugged into a formula for calculating the INTRINSIC VALUE of a share, which is based on the
assumption that CURRENT DIVIDENDS will grow at a percentage GROWTH RATE determined by SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. This is known as THE
DIVIDEND DISCOUNT MODEL. The formula for this model is :
INTRINSIC SHARE VALUE = (CURRENT DIVIDEND) Multiplied by (1 + Growth Rate) / (REQUIRED RATE OF RETURN - GROWTH RATE)
Thus if a share had a dividend of 20p per share, a Growth Rate of 5% pa and a Required Rate of Return of 12.5% the Intrinsic Value would be:
20 X 1.05 / (12.5% - 5%) = 280p
The INTRINSIC VALUE is then compared with the Current Share Price. If the INTRINSIC VALUE is substantially greater than the Current Share price
BUY, if it is substantially less then SELL.