The DuPont analysis is a technique created by the DuPont Corporation in 1914 that enables the break-down of Return on Equity (ROE) into three key indicators: Profit Margin, Asset Turnover, and Equity Multiplier. The formula looks like this:

ROE = Profit Margin * Asset Turnover * Equity Multiplier

The Profit Margin, hereafter referred to as PM, is a measure of how much revenue is earned for every dollar of sales. This indicator is useful in understanding how a company is able to weather downturns in their industry or during recessions since it tracks their ability to generate profits. The higher the PM, the better.

The Asset Turnover, hereafter referred to as AT, is a measure of how efficiently a company's assets are used to generate sales. The AT will tell you how much dollar of sales is generated for each dollar invested in assets. Efficiency in using assets is key to maximizing sales because the more efficient a company is, the more value it will generate. The higher the AT, the better.

The Equity Multiplier, hereafter referred to as EM, is a measure of how well a company is able to leverage its equity. This measures a company's ability to generate a return by borrowing money. EM can tell you how much more return a company can generate by borrowing more money than they had invested initially. The higher the EM, the better.

The DuPont analysis looks at an individual company's ROE, breaking it down into these three components to get a better understanding of how the company is performing. In doing so, the analysis can reveal any potential areas of improvement that managers can address in order to maximize their efficiency and increase the company's profitability.

DuPont analysis can also be useful when comparing companies of similar sizes and industries. By comparing the components of the DuPont analysis, investors can easily identify any strengths or weaknesses of each business. By tracking this data over time, investors can identify changes or trends that may indicate a company's ability to improve or worsen.

Overall, the DuPont analysis is a useful tool for both investors and managers in understanding and pinpointing the sources of Return on Equity (ROE). By breaking down and analyzing the different components, a better understanding of a company's performance can be obtained, allowing investors and managers to identify areas of improvement and capitalize on any opportunities.