South Ocean Holdings (JSE:SOH) ROA %: 2.22% (As of Dec. 2025) — 78% Above Median

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JSE:SOH South Ocean Holdings Ltd JSE:SOH
45 GF Score
Price R0.76
GF Value R1.55
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 9 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is South Ocean Holdings ROA %?

South Ocean Holdings JSE:SOH 45 ROA % is 2.22% as of Dec. 2025, which is 78% above its 10-year median of 1.25. GuruFocus rates JSE:SOH with a GF Score™ of 45/100 and a GF Value™ of R1.55 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 3,074 Industrial Products companies, South Ocean Holdings ranks worse than 76.84% on this metric.

ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. South Ocean Holdings's annualized Net Income for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was R31 Mil. South Ocean Holdings's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was R1,399 Mil. Therefore, South Ocean Holdings's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was 2.22%.

The historical rank and industry rank for South Ocean Holdings's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:

JSE:SOH' s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -6.27   Med: 1.25   Max: 10.36
Current: -1.14

During the past 13 years, South Ocean Holdings's highest ROA % was 10.36%. The lowest was -6.27%. And the median was 1.25%.

JSE:SOH's ROA % is ranked worse than
76.84% of 3074 companies
in the Industrial Products industry
Industry Median: 3.045 vs JSE:SOH: -1.14

South Ocean Holdings  (JSE:SOH) 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 bank’s 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:

ROA %(Q: Dec. 2025 )
=Net Income/Total Assets
=31.07/1399.002
=(Net Income / Revenue)*(Revenue / Total Assets)
=(31.07 / 2651.682)*(2651.682 / 1399.002)
=Net Margin %*Asset Turnover
=1.17 %*1.8954
=2.22 %

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.


South Ocean Holdings ROA % Related Terms


South Ocean Holdings ROA % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for South Ocean Holdings'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.

South Ocean Holdings ROA % Chart

South Ocean Holdings Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
ROA %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 10.36 5.48 8.99 2.92 -1.15

South Ocean Holdings Semi-Annual Data
Jun16 Dec16 Jun17 Dec17 Jun18 Dec18 Jun19 Dec19 Jun20 Dec20 Jun21 Dec21 Jun22 Dec22 Jun23 Dec23 Jun24 Dec24 Jun25 Dec25
ROA % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 6.94 6.76 -1.44 -4.74 2.22

JSE:SOH vs VRT, BE, HUBB: ROA % Comparison

For the Electrical Equipment & Parts subindustry, South Ocean Holdings'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.


South Ocean Holdings ROA % vs Industrial Products Industry

For the Industrial Products industry and Industrials sector, South Ocean Holdings's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where South Ocean Holdings's ROA % falls into.


JSE:SOH
45GF Score
South Ocean Holdings Ltd JSE:SOH
ROA % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

South Ocean Holdings ROA % Calculation

South Ocean Holdings's annualized ROA % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as:

ROA %=Net Income (A: Dec. 2025 )/( (Total Assets (A: Dec. 2024 )+Total Assets (A: Dec. 2025 ))/ count )
=-15.278/( (1233.81+1433.455)/ 2 )
=-15.278/1333.6325
=-1.15 %

South Ocean Holdings's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as:

ROA %=Net Income (Q: Dec. 2025 )/( (Total Assets (Q: Jun. 2025 )+Total Assets (Q: Dec. 2025 ))/ count )
=31.07/( (1364.549+1433.455)/ 2 )
=31.07/1399.002
=2.22 %

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about ROA % →
What does a ROA % of 2.22% mean?
South Ocean Holdings (JSE:SOH) has a ROA % of 2.22% 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 South Ocean Holdings and its competitors. This is 78% above median its historical median of 1.25. According to the industry distribution chart, South Ocean Holdings ranks #2362 out of 3074 companies in the Industrial Products industry, placing it in the top 76.8%.
Is South Ocean Holdings' ROA % too high?
South Ocean Holdings' current ROA % of 2.22% is 78% above median its 10-year median of 1.25. The Industrial Products industry median ROA % is 3.05. South Ocean Holdings' value of 2.22% is 27.1% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, South Ocean Holdings ranks #2362 out of 3074 companies in the Industrial Products industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, South Ocean Holdings has a GF Score™ of 45/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does South Ocean Holdings' ROA % compare to VRT and BE?
According to the Industrial Products industry distribution chart, South Ocean Holdings ranks #2362 out of 3074 companies for ROA %. This places South Ocean Holdings in the lower half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 3.05. South Ocean Holdings' value of 2.22% is 27.1% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 1.25 vs. the industry median of 3.05, South Ocean Holdings has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROA % for an Industrial Products company?
The median ROA % among Industrial Products companies is 3.05, based on 3,074 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. South Ocean Holdings's current ROA % of 2.22% is 27.1% below the industry median. 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 South Ocean Holdings and its competitors. For the Industrial Products industry, the median ROA % is 3.05 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. South Ocean Holdings's current ROA % is 2.22%, which is 78% above median its own 10-year median of 1.25. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is South Ocean Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, South Ocean Holdings (JSE:SOH) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is R1.55, compared to a current price of R0.76 — trading 51% below its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 2.22%, which is 78% above median its 10-year median of 1.25 and 27.1% below the Industrial Products industry median of 3.05. South Ocean Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 45/100 with 9 warning signs to review. 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 South Ocean Holdings (JSE:SOH), the current ROA % is 2.22% 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.

Is South Ocean Holdings (JSE:SOH) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, South Ocean Holdings stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of R0.76 is trading 51% below its estimated GF Value™ of R1.55. GuruFocus considers South Ocean Holdings to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for JSE:SOH:

  • ROA %: 2.22% (78% above median its 10-year median of 1.25)
  • GF Value™: R1.55 vs. price of R0.76 (51% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 45/100 with 9 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 27.1% below the Industrial Products median (#2362 of 3074)

No single metric tells the full story. See the JSE:SOH stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


South Ocean Holdings Business Description

Address 16 Botha Street, Alrode, ZAF, 1451
South Ocean Holdings Ltd is an investment holding company. The Company through its subsidiaries manufactures electrical wires, imports and distributes electrical accessories, general-purpose insulated wire, a range of flexible conductors, steel wire armored cables, flat-twin and earth cables, aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) cables, aerial bundle conductors (ABC) and surface wire investment company and light fittings assembly. The operating segments of the company include Electrical cable manufacturing; and Property investments. The company earns maximum revenue from Electrical cable manufacturing segment which consists manufacturing and distribution of electric wire. The group operates in South Africa.
45GF Score

Get the complete analysis for JSE:SOH

ROA % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

R0.76
Price
R1.55
GF Value