The European Smaller TrustLSE:ESCT -0.64%40 ROA % is 12.99% as of Dec. 2025, which is 23% above its 10-year median of 10.52. GuruFocus rates LSE:ESCT with a GF Score™ of 40/100. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,639 Asset Management companies, The European Smaller Trust ranks better than 93.78% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. The European Smaller Trust's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was £91.9 Mil.
The European Smaller Trust's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was £707.4 Mil. Therefore, The European Smaller Trust's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was 12.99%.
The historical rank and industry rank for The European Smaller Trust's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:ESCT'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -20.93 Med: 10.52 Max: 43.38
Current: 26.24
During the past 13 years, The European Smaller Trust's highest ROA % was 43.38%. The lowest was -20.93%. And the median was 10.52%.
LSE:ESCT's ROA % is ranked better than 93.78% of 1639
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 3.95
vs LSE:ESCT: 26.24
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) 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.
* 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 Asset Management subindustry, The European Smaller Trust'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.
The European Smaller Trust ROA % vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, The European Smaller Trust's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The European Smaller Trust'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.
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) has a ROA % of 12.99% 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 The European Smaller Trust and its competitors. This is 23% above median its historical median of 10.52. According to the industry distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #102 out of 1639 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 6.2%.
Is The European Smaller Trust's ROA % too high?
The European Smaller Trust's current ROA % of 12.99% is 23% above median its 10-year median of 10.52. The Asset Management industry median ROA % is 3.95. The European Smaller Trust's value of 12.99% is 228.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #102 out of 1639 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, The European Smaller Trust has a GF Score™ of 40/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The European Smaller Trust's ROA % compare to BLK and BX?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, The European Smaller Trust ranks #102 out of 1639 companies for ROA %. This places The European Smaller Trust in the top 6% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median ROA % is 3.95. The European Smaller Trust's value of 12.99% is 228.9% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 10.52 vs. the industry median of 3.95, The European Smaller Trust has consistently been above 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 Asset Management company?
The median ROA % among Asset Management companies is 3.95, based on 1,639 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. The European Smaller Trust's current ROA % of 12.99% is 228.9% above 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 The European Smaller Trust and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median ROA % is 3.95 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The European Smaller Trust's current ROA % is 12.99%, which is 23% above median its own 10-year median of 10.52. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The European Smaller Trust stock overvalued right now?
The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT) has a current ROA % of 12.99%. The current ROA % is 12.99%, which is 23% above median its 10-year median of 10.52 and 228.9% above the Asset Management industry median of 3.95. The European Smaller Trust's overall GF Score™ is 40/100 with 4 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 The European Smaller Trust (LSE:ESCT), the current ROA % is 12.99% 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.
The European Smaller Companies Trust PLC is a United Kingdom-based trust focused on capital growth through equities in smaller and medium-sized European companies. It focuses on equities from smaller and medium-sized companies quoted, domiciled, listed, or operating across Europe, excluding the UK. Its portfolio includes industrial goods, technology, financials, business providers, basic materials, consumer goods, retail providers and natural resource sectors.
40GF Score
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