Shareholders Would Enjoy A Repeat Of BlueScope Steel's (ASX:BSL) Recent Growth In Returns

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount 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. So when we looked at the ROCE trend of BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) we really liked what we saw.

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 BlueScope Steel, this is the formula:

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

0.30 = AU$3.4b ÷ (AU$15b - AU$3.5b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

So, BlueScope Steel has an ROCE of 30%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 8.7% earned by companies in a similar industry.

View our latest analysis for BlueScope Steel

In the above chart we have measured BlueScope Steel's 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 BlueScope Steel here for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

Investors would be pleased with what's happening at BlueScope Steel. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 30%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 55% more capital is being employed now too. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

The Key Takeaway

A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what BlueScope Steel has. Since the stock has returned a solid 60% to shareholders over the last five years, it's fair to say investors are beginning to recognize these changes. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.

If you'd like to know more about BlueScope Steel, we've spotted 3 warning signs, and 1 of them is concerning.

High returns are a key ingredient to strong performance, so check out our free list ofstocks earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.