Here's What 888 Holdings plc's (LON:888) ROCE Can Tell Us

March 21, 2020

Today we'll evaluate 888 Holdings plc (LON:888) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires.

Firstly, we'll go over how we calculate ROCE. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Finally, we'll look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE.

What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

ROCE measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Generally speaking a higher ROCE is better. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that 'one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar'.

How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?

The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

Or for 888 Holdings:

0.38 = US$67m ÷ (US$440m - US$266m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)

So, 888 Holdings has an ROCE of 38%.

See our latest analysis for 888 Holdings

Does 888 Holdings Have A Good ROCE?

ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. Using our data, we find that 888 Holdings's ROCE is meaningfully better than the 7.3% average in the Hospitality industry. I think that's good to see, since it implies the company is better than other companies at making the most of its capital. Putting aside its position relative to its industry for now, in absolute terms, 888 Holdings's ROCE is currently very good.

The image below shows how 888 Holdings's ROCE compares to its industry, and you can click it to see more detail on its past growth.

LSE:888 Past Revenue and Net Income, March 22nd 2020

When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

888 Holdings's Current Liabilities And Their Impact On Its ROCE

Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. The ROCE equation subtracts current liabilities from capital employed, so a company with a lot of current liabilities appears to have less capital employed, and a higher ROCE than otherwise. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets.

888 Holdings has current liabilities of US$266m and total assets of US$440m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 60% of its total assets. While a high level of current liabilities boosts its ROCE, 888 Holdings's returns are still very good.

The Bottom Line On 888 Holdings's ROCE

So we would be interested in doing more research here -- there may be an opportunity! 888 Holdings looks strong on this analysis, but there are plenty of other companies that could be a good opportunity . Here is a free list of companies growing earnings rapidly.

I will like 888 Holdings better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

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