Atour Lifestyle Holdings (NASDAQ:ATAT) has experienced a decline in its share price over the past three months, with a decrease of 25%. However, despite this setback, the company's key financial indicators appear to be quite decent, suggesting the potential for long-term stock growth. In this article, we will specifically focus on Return on Equity (ROE).

ROE is a measure of how effectively a company is increasing its value and managing investors' money. Essentially, it shows the profit generated per dollar of shareholder investments.

To calculate ROE, the formula is as follows: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders' Equity. For Atour Lifestyle Holdings, the ROE based on the trailing twelve months to March 2023 is 8.0%, with CN¥107m in net profit and CN¥1.3b in shareholders' equity.

When considering the relationship between ROE and earnings growth, it is important to evaluate how much profit a company reinvests or retains for future growth. Companies with higher ROE and higher profit retention tend to have higher growth rates compared to those without these features.

At first glance, Atour Lifestyle Holdings' ROE may not seem promising, especially when compared to the industry average of 17%. However, despite the lower ROE, the company has experienced exceptional net income growth of 32% over the past five years. This suggests that other factors, such as strategic decisions made by management or a low payout ratio, may be contributing to the company's growth.

Additionally, when comparing Atour Lifestyle Holdings' net income growth to the industry average growth of 15% in the same period, the company's growth appears to be quite high.

Earnings growth is a significant factor in stock valuation, as it indicates the market's expectation for a company's future outlook. For investors, it is important to assess whether the market has priced in a company's expected earnings growth or decline.

Given that Atour Lifestyle Holdings does not pay dividends to its shareholders, it can be inferred that the company reinvests all of its profits to fuel business growth.

In summary, Atour Lifestyle Holdings demonstrates some positive aspects in its business. Despite a lower rate of return, the company has achieved impressive earnings growth through heavy reinvestment. Analyst forecasts indicate that the company will continue to experience expansion in its earnings. It is worth considering whether these expectations are based on industry trends or the company's fundamentals.

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Please note that this article by Simply Wall St is general in nature and provides commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts. It does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any stock. The analysis aims to provide long-term focused insights driven by fundamental data, but may not include the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St does not have a position in any stocks mentioned.