Level Based Sponsorship (Tiered Sponsorship)
In the previous articles, we have already seen what sponsorship is and what are the various advantages and disadvantages which are associated with sponsorship. However, up until now, we have been assuming a one-to-one relationship between sponsors and the sporting league. However, it is possible to have multiple sponsors which sponsor the same league. This […]
Why is Excel Not the Best Tool for Financial Modelling?
Companies all across the world use financial modeling. As we have discussed in several articles in this module, financial modeling solves many business problems. However, just like every other science, financial modeling too has evolved! The art and science of financial modeling have been mostly developed on a tool called Microsoft Excel. However, over time, […]
The Economic Impact of Facebook Outage
Facebook is one of the largest social media firms in the world. The Facebook family of apps, i.e. Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger are used by over a billion people from all across the world. Most of these services have been in operation for over a decade. All these services seem to function seamlessly almost […]
What are Demergers: Its Pros and Cons
Mergers and acquisitions are often used by conglomerates to create value. However, in some cases, demergers have also been effectively used. While the workings of mergers and acquisitions are well known to many people, demerger is still considered somewhat of a mystery. In this article, we will have a closer look at what a demerger […]
Advantages and Disadvantages of Freely Floating Exchange Rates
The freely floating currency system is the predominant system of foreign exchange that is prevalent in the world today. As globalization has progressed, more countries have abandoned their currency pegs and have allowed their currencies to freely float. Some have been forced to do so by market participants whereas others have made their choice in […]
Another metric that is widely used by investors to gauge the profitability of a company is Return on Assets (ROA). More about this very important ratio has been stated in this article.
Return on Assets = Earnings / Asset Base
The Return on Assets (ROA) ratio shows the relationship between earnings and asset base of the company. The higher the ratio, the better it is. This is because a higher ratio would indicate that the company can produce relatively higher earnings in comparison to its asset base i.e. more capital efficiency.
The ROA ratio assumes that the assets have been valued fairly on the books. However, in real life, it is a known fact that companies keep over and/or under valuing their assets to reduce taxation. This may affect the ROA adversely and reduce its usability as a profitability metric.
The Return on Assets ratio assumes that the company is using all its assets to run the day to day operations. This assumption is likely to be proved incorrect. A lot of companies hold significant cash on their balance sheet. The most valuable company in the world Apple Inc is one such example. Also many other companies hold a lot of impaired and obsolete assets which they plan to sell in the near future. This brings down the Return On Assets (ROA) ratio.
Return on assets compares the earnings that a company has generated to its asset base. The asset base could be financed by equity or by debt but it will not make a difference. Return on Assets is therefore independent of leverage.
Return on Assets is very sensitive to the stage of growth that a company is currently experiencing. In the introduction and growth stage, companies invest a lot of money to create asset bases. They may not use the asset base immediately and the benefits may be realized years later. Hence, two companies in the same industry, but at different stages of growth, will have very different Return On Assets.
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