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RMetrics & moneyUpdated 2 Nov 2026

Return on equity ratio

Financial metric comparing net income to shareholders' equity.

Definition

Return on equity ratio is the financial metric comparing net income to shareholders' equity. Treat it as a number you can compute and argue about, not a slide decoration. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.

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In the room

How the word shows up in a real conversation.

In a Monday review, someone writes Return on equity ratio on the board and restates it: “Financial metric comparing net income to shareholders' equity.” The next move is a test, a cut, or a double-down — not another debate about the word.

Common mistake

Using Return on equity ratio as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.

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