The extent to which a company uses its liabilities to leverage up its return to stockholders is measured by the difference between ROE and ROA.

ROE

Return on Equity, a measure of financial performance calculated by dividing net income by shareholder's equity.

ROA

Return on assets (ROA) is a financial ratio that shows the percentage of profit a company earns in relation to its overall resources.

Liabilities

Measurable obligations resulting from a past transaction; they are expected to be settled in the future by transferring assets or providing services.