SANUWAVE Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNWV): An ROIC vs. WACC Analysis and Peer Comparison

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • May 25, 2026

• SANUWAVE Health, Inc. currently faces financial challenges, with its Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 11.43% falling below its Cost of Capital (WACC) of 12.87%, indicating it is not creating economic value.
• Many of SANUWAVE Health's peers in the medical technology sector also struggle with similar issues, demonstrating a broader challenge in generating sufficient returns on investment.
• In contrast, Aspen Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASPU) stands out with a strong ROIC-to-WACC ratio of 1.55, highlighting its effective capital management and ability to create significant shareholder value.

SANUWAVE Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNWV) is a medical technology company. It develops shock wave systems for regenerative medicine, aiming to repair and regrow tissue. SNWV operates in a field with diverse competitors, including companies like Aspen Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASPU) and Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO), each with different financial structures.

A key way to measure a company's health is by comparing its Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) to its cost of capital (WACC). ROIC shows how much profit a company makes from its money. WACC is the average cost the company pays for its funding. A company creates value if its ROIC is higher than its WACC.

For SNWV, the numbers show a challenge. It has an ROIC of 11.43%, which is below its WACC of 12.87%. This means the company currently earns less on its investments than it costs to fund them. Its ROIC-to-WACC ratio is 0.89, indicating it is not creating economic value.

Looking at its peers, SNWV is not alone in this struggle. TSS, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSGI) has a ratio of 0.59, and Rafarma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC: RAFA) has a ratio of 0.39. 

In contrast, Aspen Group, Inc. stands out as a leader in this group. With an ROIC of 9.05% and a low WACC of 5.84%, its ROIC-to-WACC ratio is 1.55. This signals that Aspen Group, Inc. is very effective at generating profits from its capital. Pressure BioSciences, Inc. also performs well with a ratio of 1.42.