Many investors keep a keen interest to invest in IT companies as they fall in the defensive category, meaning when all sectors are down, the IT sector is generally up. Also, since IT companies have global businesses, they are not only dependent on the domestic market i.e. India forms the view-point of diversification.
So before investing in IT companies, let’s look at some of the important key ratios.
1. Operating Profit Margins (OPM).
An Investor should focus at Operating Profit Margin of IT companies, because in the Service sector, especially IT companies, employee cost is the major cost. Below is the chart of the last 3 year’s OPM of Top 5 IT companies based on their market capitalization.
2. Return on Equity (ROE):
ROE is a very important ratio to analyse for IT companies since it reflects the profit created for shareholders by reinvesting in its business. It is also said that it is profit on the shareholder’s capital on the balance sheet date. ROE should always be higher, otherwise investing in low ROE businesses will wipe out the investor’s wealth. Below is the chart of ROE generated over the last 10 years by these 5 major IT companies.
One of the key reasons to invest in IT companies:
Since IT companies have global businesses, they get the advantage of depreciating Indian Rupee, which in turn increases profits and thereby enhancing their reserves (profits kept aside) year on year. IT companies distribute a good portion of earnings through a dividend to the shareholders. IT companies are also known as cash-rich businesses. They enhance shareholder’s wealth through buy-backs or dividends. Just look at the dividend payout ratio for the past 3 years of these Top 5 IT companies below.
