Metals AustraliaASX:MLS -13.04% ROA % is -5.28% as of Dec. 2025. The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 2,665 Metals & Mining companies, Metals Australia ranks better than 64.39% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Metals Australia's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was A$-1.83 Mil.
Metals Australia's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was A$34.60 Mil. Therefore, Metals Australia's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was -5.28%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Metals Australia's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
ASX:MLS'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -32.54 Med: -6.26 Max: -1.51
Current: -6.39
During the past 13 years, Metals Australia's highest ROA % was -1.51%. The lowest was -32.54%. And the median was -6.26%.
ASX:MLS's ROA % is ranked better than 64.39% of 2665
companies
in the Metals & Mining industry
Industry Median: -16.72
vs ASX:MLS: -6.39
Metals Australia (ASX:MLS) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Dec. 2025) net income data. The Revenue data used here is two times the semi-annual (Dec. 2025) revenue data.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
Metals Australia ROA % Related Terms
Metals Australia ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Metals Australia's ROA % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Other Industrial Metals & Mining subindustry, Metals Australia's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Metals Australia ROA % vs Metals & Mining Industry
For the Metals & Mining industry and Basic Materials sector, Metals Australia's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Metals Australia's ROA % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Dec. 2025) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Metals Australia (ASX:MLS) has a ROA % of -5.28% as of Dec. 2025. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Metals Australia and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Metals Australia ranks #949 out of 2665 companies in the Metals & Mining industry, placing it in the top 35.6%.
Is Metals Australia's ROA % too high?
Metals Australia's current ROA % is -5.28%. Based on the distribution chart, Metals Australia ranks #949 out of 2665 companies in the Metals & Mining industry, which is above the industry midpoint.
How does Metals Australia's ROA % compare to competitors?
According to the Metals & Mining industry distribution chart, Metals Australia ranks #949 out of 2665 companies for ROA %. This puts Metals Australia in the upper half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROA % for a Metals & Mining company?
A good ROA % depends on the Metals & Mining industry context. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Metals Australia and its competitors. Metals Australia's current ROA % is -5.28%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Metals Australia stock overvalued right now?
Metals Australia (ASX:MLS) has a current ROA % of -5.28%. The current ROA % is -5.28%. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Metals Australia (ASX:MLS), the current ROA % is -5.28% as of Dec. 2025. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Metals Australia Ltd is engaged in the exploration of mineral deposits in Australia and Africa. It explores Manindi Lithium, base metals, and gold. The company holds interests in the Manindi Zinc Project, Quebec Lithium Project, Lac Rainy Nord Graphite Project, and others. Its geographical segment includes Australia and Canada.
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