Will Persistent Systems (NSE:PERSISTENT) Multiply In Value Going Forward?

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. However, after investigating Persistent Systems (NSE:PERSISTENT), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Persistent Systems, this is the formula:

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

0.14 = ₹3.5b ÷ (₹32b - ₹6.4b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).

Therefore, Persistent Systems has an ROCE of 14%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 13% generated by the IT industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Persistent Systems

In the above chart we have measured Persistent Systems' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Persistent Systems here for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Persistent Systems, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 20%, but since then they've fallen to 14%. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. And if the increased capital generates additional returns, the business, and thus shareholders, will benefit in the long run.

Our Take On Persistent Systems' ROCE

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Persistent Systems is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. And the stock has followed suit returning a meaningful 58% to shareholders over the last five years. So while the underlying trends could already be accounted for by investors, we still think this stock is worth looking into further.

One more thing, we've spotted 3 warning signs facing Persistent Systems that you might find interesting.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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