Valuation Metrics

ROE

Return on Equity

Definition

Net Income ÷ Shareholders' Equity × 100 = Return on invested capital

Explanation

ROE shows how efficiently a company generates profit from shareholders' investment. An ROE of 15% means for every $100 of shareholders' equity, the company earned $15 in profit. Warren Buffett famously looks for companies with ROE above 15%. Higher is generally better.

Example

ROE 20% = $200 million profit on $1 billion equity

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