After settling debts, the owner of a company can claim a certain part of the assets. This amount can be classified as shareholders equity or share capital. Two components make up this equity amount.

The first part is the company's invested capital obtained from shares and other investments after the first payment. The second component is the retained earnings, referring to the net amount obtained over the years and yet to be distributed to the shareholders. Jump into this informative guide to discover more information about shareholder equity and its calculation.

More About the Concept of Shareholders' Equity

Before you get into the details of the shareholder equity formula and calculation, it's pivotal to expand your understanding of it. Remember that the shareholder's equity amount can be positive as well as negative.

At times, nothing might be left because all the company's assets are liquidated to pay off debts. In that case, the shareholder's equity will be negative.

Meanwhile, the assets of a company might grow beyond the total liabilities. In that case, the company will have adequate capital to meet all liabilities with ease while leaving behind a significant amount of shareholders' equity.

Investors are always sceptical about companies with negative shareholders' equity. Usually, these companies are risky investments because shareholders are highly unlikely to get returns.

Importance of Shareholders' Equity

Do you know what's the point of calculating the shareholder's equity before investing in a company? Well, the shareholder's equity provides you with a glimpse into the total investments of a company and the returns generated during a specific timeline.

It stands as a significant metric for determining the investment returns of an equity investor. Shareholders equity is always a crucial part of calculating the return on equity. This measure can help in understanding whether a company has been effectively leveraging its resources to generate profits.

If you divide any company's net income with the shareholder's equity, you will find the return on equity. The net income is easily available by deducing the taxes and expenses from the total revenue generated by a company over some time.

A glimpse into the equity returns of a company over multiple years helps in understanding the trends in the earning growth of a company. Maybe a company is showing reports of a 12% return on equity for several years. In that case, it is highly likely to grow 12% in the future with continued reinvestments.

Also Read: How to Become Pro in Equity Market?

Information Needed to Calculate the Shareholder's Equity

You will find all information on the company's balance sheet to calculate shareholders' equity. The sum of the current and noncurrent assets will provide you with a glimpse of the total asset value of a company.

It is possible to convert current assets into cash within less than a year. A company's stock, cash, and accounts receivable usually come under the category of current assets.

Meanwhile, noncurrent assets are the ones that will generate benefits in the long run. For instance, buildings and vehicles owned by a company might continue to generate benefits for over a year.

The liabilities of a company are a combination of its short-term as well as long-term liabilities. Short-term liabilities will include debts demanding repayment within a year. On the other hand, long-term liabilities will have a repayment period stretching over a year.

Calculating Shareholders Equity

Looking at the shareholders equity is ideal for assessing the returns of a company from total investments. But how do you calculate shareholder equity? You can rely on the two formulas for calculation:

1. Formula 1

The first shareholder's equity formula revolves around subtracting the total liabilities from the total assets. Referred to as the basic accounting equation, it is the easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity.

The value of total assets will take into account all current assets like prepayment and marketable securities. Moreover, it will consider long-term assets like fixtures and machinery. On the other hand, total liabilities can be determined by adding long-term liabilities to the present ones.

2. Formula 2

Another shareholder's equity formula revolves around adding the share capital and retained earnings. After that, the treasury stock is deducted from the outcome after addition to calculate shareholders' equity.

The cumulative sum of a company's earnings after settling dividend payments refers to retained earnings. This value is available in the shareholder's equity section of a company's balance sheet.

Treasury stocks refer to a company's repurchased shares after they are separated for potential resale to investors. If you subtract the shares for subscription from the total outstanding shares, you will receive the treasury stocks.

Summing up

The amount available for shareholders to claim after assets are liquidated to pay debts is called the shareholder's equity. Deducting the total liabilities from the total assets of a company will help you calculate the shareholders' equity amount.