The Returns At Endeavour Group (ASX:EDV) Aren't Growing

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. So, when we ran our eye over Endeavour Group's (ASX:EDV) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on Endeavour Group is:

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

0.11 = AU$924m ÷ (AU$11b - AU$2.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).

Therefore, Endeavour Group has an ROCE of 11%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty standard return but compared to the Consumer Retailing industry average it falls behind.

See our latest analysis for Endeavour Group

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Endeavour Group compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Endeavour Group here for free.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has consistently earned 11% for the last one year, and the capital employed within the business has risen 25% in that time. 11% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Endeavour Group has consistently earned this amount. Stable returns in this ballpark can be unexciting, but if they can be maintained over the long run, they often provide nice rewards to shareholders.

On a side note, Endeavour Group has done well to reduce current liabilities to 20% of total assets over the last one year. This can eliminate some of the risks inherent in the operations because the business has less outstanding obligations to their suppliers and or short-term creditors than they did previously.

In Conclusion...

To sum it up, Endeavour Group has simply been reinvesting capital steadily, at those decent rates of return. In light of this, the stock has only gained 2.6% over the last year for shareholders who have owned the stock in this period. That's why it could be worth your time looking into this stock further to discover if it has more traits of a multi-bagger.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Endeavour Group and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

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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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.