Eaton Earnings Perspective: Return On Invested Capital

According to Benzinga Pro data Eaton ETN posted a 3.27% decrease in earnings from Q4. Sales, however, increased by 0.94% over the previous quarter to $4.84 billion. Despite the increase in sales this quarter, the decrease in earnings may suggest Eaton is not utilizing their capital as effectively as possible. In Q4, Eaton earned $551.00 million and total sales reached $4.80 billion.

What Is Return On Invested Capital?

Earnings data without context is not clear and can difficult to base trading decisions on. Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) helps to filter signal from noise by measuring yearly pre-tax profit relative to invested capital by a business. Generally, a higher ROIC suggests successful growth of a company and is a sign of higher earnings per share in the future. In Q1, Eaton posted an ROIC of 2.36%.

It is important to keep in mind that ROIC evaluates past performance and is not used as a predictive tool. It is a good measure of a company's recent performance, but does not account for factors that could affect earnings and sales in the near future.

Return on Invested Capital is a measure of yearly pre-tax profit relative to capital invested by a business. Changes in earnings and sales indicate shifts in a company's ROIC. A higher ROIC is generally representative of successful growth of a company and is a sign of higher earnings per share in the future. A low or negative ROIC suggests the opposite. In Q1, Eaton posted an ROIC of 2.36%.

Keep in mind, while ROIC is a good measure of a company's recent performance, it is not a highly reliable predictor of a company's earnings or sales in the near future.

For Eaton, the positive return on invested capital ratio of 2.36% suggests that management is allocating their capital effectively. Effective capital allocation is a positive indicator that a company will achieve more durable success and favorable long-term returns.

Analyst Predictions

Eaton reported Q1 earnings per share at $1.62/share, which beat analyst predictions of $1.6/share.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.