Sustainable growth rate: Why it’s critical for business success

When you achieve an SGR, your company can continue to expand without taking on unnecessary financial risks.

SGR refers to the rate at which your company expands its operations over time without compromising financial stability. It relies on your ability to increase revenue, manage costs efficiently, and maintain a healthy balance between debt and equity. Learning how to calculate your sustainable growth rate and implement a strong growth strategy can propel your business to its full potential by promoting long-term profit and scaling.

Why is a sustainable growth rate important?

When you establish an SGR, you ensure your company can continue expanding without relying on excessive external financing like bank loans and investors. While external financing may seem like an attractive option to keep your company afloat, it can lead to high interest payments and potential debt burdens. And you might risk diluting company shares and thus lose control over your business’s direction.

Say you’re running an ecommerce platform. If you can consistently attract new users, generate revenue through online advertising, and manage your expenses, you can sustainably grow your user base and profitability over time without jeopardizing your financial health. Conversely, if you can’t expand without excessive external financing, you may face financial instability and struggle to meet debt obligations.

Sustainable growth rate vs. PEG ratio

To assess your company’s performance and growth prospects, you can also use a metric related to an SGR known as the price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio. To calculate this valuation metric, you divide the P/E ratio by the expected earnings growth rate.

Businesses primarily use the PEG ratio as a company valuation tool that considers the relationship between an organization’s current valuation and its expected growth. For instance, a PEG ratio below one is considered undervalued, while a ratio above one may suggest an overvalued business. This makes it an invaluable data point for investors.

In contrast, an SGR measures a company’s ability to grow its operations at a consistent rate without relying on excessive additional funding. It considers factors like revenue growth, cost management, and financial stability.

As opposed to the PEG ratio, the SGR is more concerned with a company’s internal capabilities to support growth while maintaining financial stability. This makes it a great tool for external investors and internal team leaders alike because it can both assess company viability and determine an expansion strategy.

The sustainable growth rate formula

The SGR formula takes into account a company’s return on equity (ROE) and retention rate. You can calculate it like this:

SGR = ROE × retention rate

To use the formula, first determine your ROE, which measures the profitability of a company in relation to its shareholder equity. It represents the percentage of return earned on shareholder investments.

Calculate ROE with the following formula:

ROE =Net income / Shareholder’s equity

Next, calculate the retention rate. This number reflects the portion of earnings that a company reinvests in the business rather than distributing that income as dividends.

Calculate retention rate with the following formula:

Retention rate = 1 − dividend payout ratio

Consider a company specializing in software sales. To apply the SGR formula, let’s assume the following:

• Net income: $500,000
• Shareholder’s equity: $2,000,000
• Dividend payout ratio: 0.40 (40%)

We can calculate the ROE as:

ROE = 500,000 / 2,000,000

Based on this calculation, ROE is 0.25, or 25%.

We can calculate the retention rate as follows:

Retention rate = 1 − 0.40

Based on this, the retention rate is 0.60, or 60%.

Then, we can calculate the SGR with the following:

SGR = 0.25 × 0.60

In this example, the SGR is 0.15, or 15%. The rate indicates that the company can grow its operations by 15% annually without relying heavily on external financing. You can use this insight to plan your growth strategies and attract potential investors.

Interpreting sustainable growth rate

The SGR serves as a compass that guides internal decisions on the pace of business expansion and how to limit financial health risks.

For investors, your SGR is a window into your business’s long-term viability and resilience. A robust SGR shows you’re capable of reinvesting earnings wisely and suggests that you’re less reliant on external funding — showcasing a blend of growth ambition and fiscal prudence. In other words, you’re a good investment.

A higher SGR also means you have a more potent ability to leverage retained earnings for rapid and sustainable growth. This empowers you to set ambitious yet realistic growth targets, align internal resources efficiently, and fortify your strategic planning for the future. A lower SGR means you may be at financial risk if you wish to expand.

The definition of a “good” SGR varies across industries and depends on several factors, like your company’s business model, market conditions, and development stage. Typically, a higher SGR is considered positive as it implies a company’s ability to grow sustainably and independently. But an excessively high SGR could mean your company is growing too fast and may raise concerns about the company’s risk appetite and potential overexpansion.

But generally, a strong SGR aligns with your company’s growth goals and maintains a balance between expansion and financial stability. To determine whether your SGR meets this description, consider industry benchmarks, historical performance, and your company’s specific circumstances. If your SGR is consistent and stable over time, that indicates that you have an effective management strategy and a realistic trajectory.

Limitations of using the sustainable growth rate metric

While SGR is a valuable metric to assess your company’s capacity for self-sustaining growth, it does come with the following limitations.

False assumptions

The SGR assumes a constant retention rate, implying that the proportion of earnings that you retain for reinvestment remains stable over time. In reality, companies may need to adjust their dividend policies or face varying capital expenditure requirements. This leads to fluctuations in the retention rate.

Overlooked external factors

Additionally, the SGR doesn’t account for all external factors, like changes in market conditions, economic downturns, and shifts in consumer preferences. These can significantly impact a company’s growth potential. While an SGR provides valuable insights, you should pair it with a comprehensive analysis of the broader business environment and potential external influences.

Oversimplification

The SGR may oversimplify financial management complexities by assuming a linear relationship between ROE and growth. In dynamic business landscapes, achieving a higher growth rate can require increased leverage or pose financial risks that the SGR alone may not adequately capture. So relying solely on this rate for strategic decision-making might lead to suboptimal outcomes, like overly ambitious investment in initiatives whose success relies heavily on expected growth.

To address these limitations, supplement your SGR analysis with a holistic examination of your company’s financial statements, market dynamics, and risk factors. A comprehensive approach gives you a more nuanced understanding of growth prospects and helps you formulate well-informed, resilient business strategies.

Achieve sustainable growth with Webflow

Success isn’t simply a matter of scaling — it’s a matter of doing so sustainably.

Kick-start your sustainable growth model with Webflow, a powerful visual web development platform that scales with your business. Webflow’s reliable traffic management features, scalable content management system (CMS), and real-time marketing support guide you through every growth stage. And our world-class globalization features help you stay on top of your game as you expand.

Learn more about how companies grow with Webflow and get started with Webflow Enterprise today.