The Returns At Universal Store Holdings (ASX:UNI) Aren't Growing

If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount 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 Universal Store Holdings' (ASX:UNI) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw.

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 Universal Store Holdings is:

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

0.19 = AU$43m ÷ (AU$288m - AU$61m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

Therefore, Universal Store Holdings has an ROCE of 19%. By itself that's a normal return on capital and it's in line with the industry's average returns of 19%.

See our latest analysis for Universal Store Holdings

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Universal Store Holdings 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 Universal Store Holdings for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

While the current returns on capital are decent, they haven't changed much. The company has employed 42% more capital in the last three years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 19%. Since 19% is a moderate ROCE though, it's good to see a business can continue to reinvest at these decent rates of return. 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.

The Key Takeaway

In the end, Universal Store Holdings has proven its ability to adequately reinvest capital at good rates of return. Yet over the last three years the stock has declined 23%, so the decline might provide an opening. That's why we think it'd be worthwhile to look further into this stock given the fundamentals are appealing.

On a separate note, we've found 1 warning sign for Universal Store Holdings you'll probably want to know about.

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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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.