Grupo Mateus' (BVMF:GMAT3) Returns Have Hit A Wall

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? 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. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. So, when we ran our eye over Grupo Mateus' (BVMF:GMAT3) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. To calculate this metric for Grupo Mateus, this is the formula:

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

0.14 = R$1.8b ÷ (R$17b - R$4.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

So, Grupo Mateus has an ROCE of 14%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 11% generated by the Consumer Retailing industry.

See our latest analysis for Grupo Mateus

In the above chart we have measured Grupo Mateus' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Grupo Mateus .

The Trend Of ROCE

While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has consistently earned 14% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 396% in that time. Since 14% is a moderate ROCE though, it's good to see a business can continue to reinvest at these decent rates of return. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns.

The Bottom Line

The main thing to remember is that Grupo Mateus has proven its ability to continually reinvest at respectable rates of return. Despite the good fundamentals, total returns from the stock have been virtually flat over the last three years. For that reason, savvy investors might want to look further into this company in case it's a prime investment.

If you're still interested in Grupo Mateus it's worth checking out our FREE intrinsic value approximation for GMAT3 to see if it's trading at an attractive price in other respects.

While Grupo Mateus may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.

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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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com