RETURN ON ASSETS Definition

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RETURN ON ASSETS (ROA) shows the after tax earnings of assets. Return on assets is an indicator of how profitable a company is. Use this ratio annually to compare a business performance to the industry norms: The higher the ratio the greater the return on assets. However this has to be balanced against such factors as risk, sustainability and reinvestment in the business through development costs. 

Higher ROA is better, but extremely high ROA may be an indicator of vulnerability as to any sustainable competitive advantage.

Formula: Earnings After Tax (EAITDA) / Total Assets

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ECONOMIC INCOME is the maximum amount that can be distributed to owners during the accounting period and leave the business as well off at the end of the accounting period as it was at the beginning of the period; i.e. cash flow based.

INVERSE FLOATING RATE is a security that has a fixed maturity with a coupon rate that is reset at a pre-specified amount, minus a given short-term rate or index, such as 18% minus the six-month LIBOR rate, or 30% minus three times the 30-day commercial paper composite rate. These instruments provide a way to hedge against lower short-term rates and/or a steeper yield curoe without extending the maturity. As short­term rates decline, the coupon rate increases.

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