There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we’ll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Comet Holding (VTX:COTN) and its ROCE trend, we weren’t exactly thrilled.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
If you haven’t worked with ROCE before, it measures the ‘return’ (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Comet Holding is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets – Current Liabilities)
0.14 = CHF30m ÷ (CHF395m – CHF179m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).
So, Comet Holding has an ROCE of 14%. In absolute terms, that’s a satisfactory return, but compared to the Electronic industry average of 11% it’s much better.
Check out our latest analysis for Comet Holding
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Comet Holding compares to its prior returns on capital, but there’s only so much you can tell from the past. If you’d like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Comet Holding.
How Are Returns Trending?
In terms of Comet Holding’s historical ROCE movements, the trend isn’t fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 20%, but since then they’ve fallen to 14%. However it looks like Comet Holding might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company’s sales haven’t changed much in the last 12 months. It’s worth keeping an eye on the company’s earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.
While on the subject, we noticed that the ratio of current liabilities to total assets has risen to 45%, which has impacted the ROCE. If current liabilities hadn’t increased as much as they did, the ROCE could actually be even lower. And with current liabilities at these levels, suppliers or short-term creditors are effectively funding a large part of the business, which can introduce some risks.Our Take On Comet Holding’s ROCE
In summary, Comet Holding is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven’t increased much just yet. Yet to long term shareholders the stock has gifted them an incredible 128% return in the last five years, so the market appears to be rosy about its future. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn’t high.
Comet Holding could be trading at an attractive price in other respects, so you might find our free intrinsic value estimation on our platform quite valuable.
For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.
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