Analysis of Long-term (Investment) Activity Ratios
Quarterly Data
Activity ratios measure how efficiently a company performs day-to-day tasks, such us the collection of receivables and management of inventory.
Long-term Activity Ratios (Summary)
Parker-Hannifin Corp., long-term (investment) activity ratios (quarterly data)
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-09-30).
The analysis of key turnover ratios over the series of quarters reveals several notable trends and fluctuations. The focus is on net fixed asset turnover, total asset turnover, and equity turnover ratios, which collectively provide insights into the company's operational efficiency and utilization of assets and equity over time.
- Net Fixed Asset Turnover
- This ratio exhibited an overall increasing trend from late 2017 through 2019, peaking near 8.12 in early 2019. It declined significantly during late 2019 and early 2020, reaching lows around 5.87 to 5.97 in late 2020. From early 2021, the ratio displayed a recovery trend, rising consistently to over 7.19 by mid-2022, although it experienced a decline again toward the end of 2022.
- Total Asset Turnover
- This ratio showed gradual growth from late 2017 until mid-2018, stabilizing just below 0.95. However, from late 2018 onward, there was a persistent downward trend, with significant declines observed starting late 2019. The ratio dropped steadily from 0.72 in late 2019 to a low of approximately 0.55 in late 2022, indicating a decrease in how efficiently total assets generate sales over the period.
- Equity Turnover
- The equity turnover ratio remained relatively stable around 2.3 to 2.5 during the 2017 to early 2019 timeframe, followed by a noticeable drop starting in late 2019. The decline continued through 2020 and 2021, bottoming out near 1.7 by mid-2021. Thereafter, there was a modest improvement, with the ratio increasing to approximately 1.86 by late 2022, though it did not reach previous higher levels.
Overall, the data suggests a period of strong operational efficiency in terms of fixed asset turnover until early 2019, after which the company experienced setbacks likely related to broader market or operational challenges. The declines seen in total asset and equity turnover ratios from late 2018 onward indicate that asset and equity bases were not generating revenue as effectively during the subsequent quarters. Some recovery in net fixed asset turnover and equity turnover ratios in 2021 and 2022 signals partial restoration of efficiency, although total asset turnover continued to lag. These patterns imply the need for closer examination of asset utilization strategies and capital efficiency to support stronger growth moving forward.
Net Fixed Asset Turnover
Parker-Hannifin Corp., net fixed asset turnover calculation (quarterly data)
| Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Sep 30, 2021 | Jun 30, 2021 | Mar 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Sep 30, 2020 | Jun 30, 2020 | Mar 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Sep 30, 2019 | Jun 30, 2019 | Mar 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Sep 30, 2018 | Jun 30, 2018 | Mar 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Sep 30, 2017 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | 4,674,811) | 4,232,775) | 4,187,832) | 4,086,387) | 3,824,580) | 3,762,809) | 3,958,869) | 3,746,326) | 3,411,905) | 3,230,540) | 3,160,603) | 3,702,432) | 3,497,974) | 3,334,511) | 3,681,467) | 3,687,518) | 3,472,045) | 3,479,294) | 3,817,477) | 3,749,591) | 3,370,673) | 3,364,651) | |||||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | 2,839,524) | 2,753,607) | 2,122,758) | 2,174,237) | 2,202,932) | 2,223,534) | 2,266,476) | 2,249,122) | 2,302,142) | 2,292,880) | 2,292,735) | 2,296,990) | 2,335,940) | 1,880,157) | 1,768,287) | 1,779,892) | 1,793,805) | 1,828,034) | 1,856,237) | 1,941,799) | 1,937,074) | 1,962,846) | |||||||
| Long-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net fixed asset turnover1 | 6.05 | 5.93 | 7.47 | 7.19 | 6.94 | 6.69 | 6.33 | 6.02 | 5.87 | 5.93 | 5.97 | 6.19 | 6.08 | 7.54 | 8.10 | 8.12 | 8.09 | 7.89 | 7.71 | 7.20 | 6.89 | 6.45 | |||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Fixed Asset Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boeing Co. | 7.04 | 6.72 | 6.31 | 5.85 | 5.72 | 5.68 | 5.70 | 5.65 | 5.44 | 4.85 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Caterpillar Inc. | 5.10 | 4.91 | 4.70 | 4.62 | 4.36 | 4.18 | 3.99 | 3.84 | 3.59 | 3.32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Eaton Corp. plc | 6.75 | 6.67 | 6.59 | 6.80 | 6.50 | 6.38 | 6.41 | 6.45 | 6.25 | 6.08 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| GE Aerospace | 5.58 | 5.84 | 5.08 | 5.04 | 4.83 | 4.73 | 4.55 | 4.53 | 4.45 | 4.33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Honeywell International Inc. | 6.59 | 6.57 | 6.48 | 6.54 | 6.45 | 6.27 | 6.18 | 6.28 | 6.15 | 5.88 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Lockheed Martin Corp. | 8.46 | 8.33 | 8.27 | 8.48 | 8.48 | 8.70 | 8.83 | 9.05 | 9.17 | 9.15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| RTX Corp. | 4.61 | 4.53 | 4.42 | 4.50 | 4.43 | 4.37 | 4.30 | 4.39 | 4.25 | 4.10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-09-30).
1 Q2 2023 Calculation
Net fixed asset turnover
= (Net salesQ2 2023
+ Net salesQ1 2023
+ Net salesQ4 2022
+ Net salesQ3 2022)
÷ Property, plant and equipment, net
= (4,674,811 + 4,232,775 + 4,187,832 + 4,086,387)
÷ 2,839,524 = 6.05
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of the quarterly financial data reveals several noteworthy trends over the observed periods.
- Net Sales
- Net sales show fluctuations with a general upward trend in the later periods. Initially, net sales hovered around 3.3 to 3.8 billion US dollars from 2017 through mid-2019, reflecting moderate growth and some volatility. A decline is observed in mid-2020, likely attributable to external disruptions affecting revenue, with net sales dropping below 3.2 billion US dollars. Subsequently, there is a recovery and strengthening trend from late 2020 onwards, culminating in the highest recorded sales near 4.7 billion US dollars by the end of 2022. This recovery and growth may indicate a successful strategic response to prior challenges and increased demand.
- Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
- The net value of property, plant, and equipment displays a general decline from approximately 1.96 billion US dollars in late 2017 to around 2.12 billion US dollars by mid-2022. Notably, there is a sharp increase beginning in late 2022, surpassing 2.75 billion US dollars and further increasing to nearly 2.84 billion US dollars by the end of 2022. This pattern suggests a period of divestment or depreciation in fixed assets followed by significant capital investment or acquisition activity toward the end of the observed timeline, pointing to possible capacity expansion or asset renewal initiatives.
- Net Fixed Asset Turnover Ratio
- The net fixed asset turnover ratio, which measures efficiency in using fixed assets to generate sales, starts high at 6.45 and increases steadily to a peak of 8.12 in early 2019, suggesting improved asset utilization during that period. However, a considerable decline follows, with the ratio dropping below 6.0 during 2019-2020, coinciding with the drop in sales and relatively stable fixed asset values. Post-2020, there is a gradual recovery, with the ratio climbing back towards 7.4 by mid-2022, but then decreasing again near the end of 2022 to around 6.0. The late 2022 dip in turnover ratio may be linked to the surge in fixed assets that has not yet fully translated into proportional sales growth, indicating a potential lag in asset productivity after recent investments.
In summary, the data indicate a period of sales volatility and asset base contraction followed by recovery and expansion. The late-stage increase in fixed assets alongside rejuvenated sales suggests strategic capital investment aiming to support future growth, albeit with some short-term adjustment in asset efficiency.
Total Asset Turnover
Parker-Hannifin Corp., total asset turnover calculation (quarterly data)
| Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Sep 30, 2021 | Jun 30, 2021 | Mar 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Sep 30, 2020 | Jun 30, 2020 | Mar 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Sep 30, 2019 | Jun 30, 2019 | Mar 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Sep 30, 2018 | Jun 30, 2018 | Mar 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Sep 30, 2017 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | 4,674,811) | 4,232,775) | 4,187,832) | 4,086,387) | 3,824,580) | 3,762,809) | 3,958,869) | 3,746,326) | 3,411,905) | 3,230,540) | 3,160,603) | 3,702,432) | 3,497,974) | 3,334,511) | 3,681,467) | 3,687,518) | 3,472,045) | 3,479,294) | 3,817,477) | 3,749,591) | 3,370,673) | 3,364,651) | |||||||
| Total assets | 30,520,887) | 29,954,907) | 25,943,943) | 22,545,320) | 22,395,475) | 20,236,871) | 20,341,200) | 19,841,546) | 19,827,429) | 19,785,917) | 19,738,189) | 20,365,280) | 21,043,989) | 19,568,589) | 17,576,690) | 15,477,935) | 15,307,687) | 15,425,042) | 15,320,087) | 16,237,484) | 15,965,181) | 15,731,279) | |||||||
| Long-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total asset turnover1 | 0.56 | 0.55 | 0.61 | 0.69 | 0.68 | 0.74 | 0.71 | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.69 | 0.69 | 0.70 | 0.67 | 0.72 | 0.81 | 0.93 | 0.95 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 0.86 | 0.84 | 0.80 | |||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Asset Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boeing Co. | 0.55 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Caterpillar Inc. | 0.72 | 0.70 | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.63 | 0.61 | 0.58 | 0.57 | 0.53 | 0.50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Eaton Corp. plc | 0.60 | 0.60 | 0.59 | 0.59 | 0.56 | 0.56 | 0.58 | 0.57 | 0.52 | 0.52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| GE Aerospace | 0.42 | 0.43 | 0.39 | 0.40 | 0.39 | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Honeywell International Inc. | 0.58 | 0.60 | 0.57 | 0.58 | 0.55 | 0.54 | 0.53 | 0.54 | 0.53 | 0.51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Lockheed Martin Corp. | 1.18 | 1.21 | 1.25 | 1.24 | 1.24 | 1.28 | 1.32 | 1.28 | 1.28 | 1.28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| RTX Corp. | 0.44 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.40 | 0.40 | 0.39 | 0.38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-09-30).
1 Q2 2023 Calculation
Total asset turnover
= (Net salesQ2 2023
+ Net salesQ1 2023
+ Net salesQ4 2022
+ Net salesQ3 2022)
÷ Total assets
= (4,674,811 + 4,232,775 + 4,187,832 + 4,086,387)
÷ 30,520,887 = 0.56
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The quarterly financial data indicates several notable trends in the company's operational efficiency and asset management over the observed periods.
- Net Sales
- Net sales exhibited a generally increasing trend from September 2017 through December 2022, starting at approximately 3.36 billion USD and rising to roughly 4.67 billion USD by the end of 2022. There were fluctuations across quarters, with occasional declines such as in the third quarter of 2018 and third quarter of 2019. However, the overall trajectory indicates growth, particularly accelerating from mid-2020 through 2022, suggesting strengthening market demand or enhanced sales effectiveness during this latter period.
- Total Assets
- Total assets demonstrated a substantial upward trend over the timeframe. Beginning at approximately 15.7 billion USD in late 2017, the asset base grew consistently, reaching about 30.5 billion USD by the end of 2022. This near doubling of total assets reflects significant expansion in the company's resource base, which may relate to acquisitions, capital investments, or other asset-building strategies. Notable increments are observable around mid-2019 and continuing onward, indicating periods of accelerated asset accumulation.
- Total Asset Turnover
- Total asset turnover, a measure of how efficiently the company uses its assets to generate sales, started at 0.8 in late 2017 and peaked at 0.95 toward the end of 2018. Following this peak, a gradual decline is evident, with ratios reducing to around 0.55 by the end of 2022. The declining asset turnover ratio, especially amid rising total assets, suggests that the increase in asset base is outpacing sales growth efficiency. This trend highlights a reduction in asset utilization effectiveness, potentially indicating that investments or asset growth have not yet fully translated into proportionate sales gains.
In summary, the data reflects consistent sales growth alongside significant asset expansion. However, the efficiency of asset usage has diminished over the period, implying that while the company has grown in size and sales volume, the conversion of asset investments into sales revenue has become less efficient. This may warrant further investigation into asset management practices or strategic deployment of resources to enhance overall operational productivity.
Equity Turnover
Parker-Hannifin Corp., equity turnover calculation (quarterly data)
| Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Sep 30, 2021 | Jun 30, 2021 | Mar 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Sep 30, 2020 | Jun 30, 2020 | Mar 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Sep 30, 2019 | Jun 30, 2019 | Mar 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | Sep 30, 2018 | Jun 30, 2018 | Mar 31, 2018 | Dec 31, 2017 | Sep 30, 2017 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | 4,674,811) | 4,232,775) | 4,187,832) | 4,086,387) | 3,824,580) | 3,762,809) | 3,958,869) | 3,746,326) | 3,411,905) | 3,230,540) | 3,160,603) | 3,702,432) | 3,497,974) | 3,334,511) | 3,681,467) | 3,687,518) | 3,472,045) | 3,479,294) | 3,817,477) | 3,749,591) | 3,370,673) | 3,364,651) | |||||||
| Shareholders’ equity | 9,322,380) | 8,762,521) | 8,848,011) | 8,959,866) | 8,755,082) | 8,490,781) | 8,398,307) | 7,392,202) | 7,105,982) | 6,528,964) | 6,113,983) | 6,295,990) | 6,330,175) | 6,096,616) | 5,961,969) | 6,009,978) | 5,815,209) | 6,101,380) | 5,859,866) | 5,870,353) | 5,513,401) | 5,524,940) | |||||||
| Long-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity turnover1 | 1.84 | 1.86 | 1.79 | 1.74 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.71 | 1.83 | 1.90 | 2.08 | 2.24 | 2.26 | 2.24 | 2.33 | 2.40 | 2.41 | 2.50 | 2.36 | 2.44 | 2.38 | 2.42 | 2.29 | |||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boeing Co. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Caterpillar Inc. | 3.39 | 3.24 | 3.57 | 3.45 | 3.26 | 2.92 | 2.92 | 2.74 | 2.57 | 2.43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Eaton Corp. plc | 1.23 | 1.23 | 1.22 | 1.26 | 1.21 | 1.19 | 1.20 | 1.22 | 1.24 | 1.18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| GE Aerospace | 2.21 | 2.24 | 2.02 | 2.29 | 2.06 | 1.82 | 1.76 | 1.92 | 2.15 | 2.10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Honeywell International Inc. | 2.09 | 2.13 | 2.12 | 1.97 | 1.96 | 1.87 | 1.85 | 1.94 | 1.89 | 1.81 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| Lockheed Martin Corp. | 7.29 | 6.86 | 7.12 | 5.41 | 5.61 | 6.57 | 6.12 | 6.89 | 10.24 | 10.46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| RTX Corp. | 0.97 | 0.94 | 0.92 | 0.94 | 0.93 | 0.89 | 0.88 | 0.89 | 0.88 | 0.84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2020-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-09-30), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-03-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-09-30).
1 Q2 2023 Calculation
Equity turnover
= (Net salesQ2 2023
+ Net salesQ1 2023
+ Net salesQ4 2022
+ Net salesQ3 2022)
÷ Shareholders’ equity
= (4,674,811 + 4,232,775 + 4,187,832 + 4,086,387)
÷ 9,322,380 = 1.84
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The financial data demonstrates several notable trends in net sales, shareholders’ equity, and equity turnover over the observed quarterly periods.
- Net Sales
- Net sales exhibited fluctuations throughout the periods, generally increasing from Q3 2017 through Q1 2020, peaking at approximately 3,702 million USD. Thereafter, a notable dip occurred in mid-2020, likely reflecting external economic challenges. Subsequently, a recovery and consistent growth trend emerged from late 2020 onwards, culminating in the highest reported net sales figure of approximately 4,675 million USD by Q4 2022. This indicates a strong upward momentum in revenue generation following the mid-period decline.
- Shareholders' Equity
- Shareholders’ equity showed a steady upward trend over the entire timeframe, beginning around 5,525 million USD in Q3 2017 and reaching about 9,322 million USD by Q4 2022. Minor fluctuations and periods of relative plateauing occurred, particularly between Q4 2018 and Q3 2019, and again in parts of 2022, but the overall trajectory remained positive, reflecting sustained growth in the company's net asset base.
- Equity Turnover Ratio
- The equity turnover ratio reveals a clear declining trend over the analyzed quarters. Starting from values above 2.3 in 2017 and 2018, the ratio progressively decreased to below 1.9 by the end of 2020. This downward trend continued into 2021 and 2022, stabilizing around 1.8. The reduction in equity turnover indicates that the company generated less revenue per unit of shareholders’ equity over time, potentially suggesting either increased equity base outpacing sales growth or a strategic rebalancing in operational efficiency.