Return On Average Equity - ROAE

An adjusted version of the return on equity (ROE) measure of company profitability, in which the denominator, shareholders' equity, is changed to average shareholders' equity. Typically, return on average equity refers to a company's performance over a fiscal year, so the average-equity denominator is usually computed as the sum of the equity value at the beginning and end of the year, divided by two.

A measure of return on average equity can give a more accurate depiction of a company's corporate profitability, especially in instances where the value of the shareholders' equity has changed considerably during a fiscal year. In situations where the shareholders' equity does not change or changes by very little during a fiscal year, the ROE and ROAE numbers should be identical, or at least similar.