Using DuPont analysis to assess the financial performance of the top 3 JSE listed companies in the food industry

This study attempts to measure the financial performance of the food industry taking the top three JSE listed companies Pioneer Foods, Tiger Brands and RCI for the period of 2013-2014. In order to achieve the objectives of this research, ratios such as return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA) have been calculated by applying the DuPont analysis. The DuPont analysis is an important tool to measure the operating performance of a firm (Sheela and Karthikeyan, 2012). The volatility of the stock market makes investment decisions a controversial issue for most investors. Investments of huge amounts of money need proper analysis in order to make an informed decision. Financial statements are indicators of the profitability and financial sustainability of the business. Ratios are tools used to quantify the risk element before making any strategic decisions, more especially, investment decisions. It has been reported to be one of the most important financial ratios, because it provides investors with a more comprehensive measure of performance (Demmer, 2015). A detailed financial analysis of all three companies using the DuPont system shows that investing in Tiger Brands would generate a higher return to shareholders than Pioneer Foods or RCI