Growth rate analysis is a method of evaluating a company’s future prospects and suitability. From an investor's standpoint, the purpose of using these growth ratios is to not only see how a company is performing but to also pinpoint companies that are undervalued. These companies represent potential investment opportunities that warrant the investor's further consideration. Here are some common growth rate metrics: Revenues and Earnings Revenues and earnings are important factors that investors should consider because it is difficult for a company to be sustaining growth on any front if it is not at least seeing growth in revenue. Beyond the basic revenue amount, the next area to look for growth is in earnings, the amount of revenue the company retains after paying all its expenses. Additionally, earnings per share (EPS) is one of the basic profitability metrics where analysts look for consistent increases. In general, a company with a high EPS is considered more profitable and investors will pay more for a company with higher profits. Price-to-Earnings Ratios (P/E ratio) The P/E ratio is one of the most widely used equity valuation metrics. It presents a measure of a company's performance, and it indicates the market's estimation of the company's future growth prospects. A higher P/E ratio indicates price action in the market is anticipating continued growth in a company's earnings. Return on Equity (ROE) The ROE ratio is considered to be one of the best metrics for evaluating a company's ability to efficiently generate profits from its existing financial resources. The ROE looks at earnings in comparison to shareholders' equity. This metric can be extremely helpful to investors because it considers revenues, profit margin, leverage, and the company's success at returning value to shareholders.