NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) Earns A Nice Return On Capital Employed

Today we'll evaluate NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) 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. Then we'll compare its ROCE to similar companies. Last but not least, we'll look at what impact its current liabilities have on 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. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike.

How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?

Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed:

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

Or for NextEra Energy:

0.057 = US$6.1b ÷ (US$121b - US$14b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020.)

So, NextEra Energy has an ROCE of 5.7%.

View our latest analysis for NextEra Energy

Does NextEra Energy Have A Good ROCE?

ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. NextEra Energy's ROCE appears to be substantially greater than the 4.5% average in the Electric Utilities 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. Separate from how NextEra Energy stacks up against its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms is mediocre; relative to the returns on government bonds. Investors may wish to consider higher-performing investments.

You can see in the image below how NextEra Energy's ROCE compares to its industry. Click to see more on past growth.

When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. 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, after all, simply a snap shot of a single year. What happens in the future is pretty important for investors, so we have prepared a free report on analyst forecasts for NextEra Energy.

Do NextEra Energy's Current Liabilities Skew Its ROCE?

Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets.

NextEra Energy has current liabilities of US$14b and total assets of US$121b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 11% of its total assets. This is a modest level of current liabilities, which would only have a small effect on ROCE.

The Bottom Line On NextEra Energy's ROCE

If NextEra Energy continues to earn an uninspiring ROCE, there may be better places to invest. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.