As investors, we need to understand how our companies truly make their money. A neat trick developed for just that purpose -- the DuPont formula -- can help us do so.
So in this series we let the DuPont do the work. Let's see what the formula can tell us about Tyson Foods
The DuPont formula can give you a better grasp on exactly where your company is producing its profit, and where it might have a competitive advantage. Named after the company where it was pioneered, the formula breaks down return on equity into three components:
Return on equity = net margin x asset turnover x leverage ratio
What makes each of these components important?
- High net margins show that a company can get customers to pay more for its products. Luxury-goods companies provide a great example here.
- High asset turnover indicates that a company needs to invest less of its capital, since it uses its assets more efficiently to generate sales. Service industries, for instance, often lack big capital investments.
- Finally, the leverage ratio shows how much the company is relying on liabilities to create its profits.
Generally, the higher these numbers, the better. That said, too much debt can sink a company, so beware of companies with very high leverage ratios.
So what does DuPont say about these four companies?
Company |
Return on Equity |
Net Margin |
Asset Turnover |
Leverage Ratio |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tyson Foods | 10.5% | 1.8% | 2.94 | 1.97 |
Smithfield Foods | 15.3% | 4.0% | 1.66 | 2.32 |
Sanderson Farms | (22.1%) | (6.4%) | 2.21 | 1.55 |
Hormel Foods | 18.9% | 6.0% | 1.90 | 1.64 |
Source: S&P Capital IQ
Hormel Foods
Tyson is in the meat products business, which has recently been facing challenges associated with increases in the price of feed, which results in an increase in the price of raising animals. These high costs eat into the profit margins of Tyson and its competitors. But it gets worse. Not only were the profit margins already narrow for meat businesses due to high costs, but they are also facing oversupply problems.
While these businesses could address this problem by cutting back on production, companies like Tyson, Sanderson Farms, and Pilgrim's Pride
Using the DuPont formula can often give you some insight into how a company is competing against peers and what type of strategy it's using to juice return on equity. To find more successful investments, dig deeper than the earnings headlines.
If you'd like to add these companies to your watchlist, or set up a new one, just click below:
- Add Tyson Foods to My Watchlist.
- Add Smithfield Foods to My Watchlist.
- Add Sanderson Farms to My Watchlist.
- Add Pilgrim's to My Watchlist.
- Add Hormel Foods to My Watchlist.