Returns On Capital Signal Tricky Times Ahead For Ambev (BVMF:ABEV3)

Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's 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. In light of that, when we looked at Ambev (BVMF:ABEV3) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Understanding 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. To calculate this metric for Ambev, this is the formula:

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

0.17 = R$17b ÷ (R$137b - R$34b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).

Therefore, Ambev has an ROCE of 17%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 13% generated by the Beverage industry.

See our latest analysis for Ambev

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Ambev compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Ambev.

What Can We Tell From Ambev's ROCE Trend?

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Ambev, we didn't gain much confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 25% over the last five years. 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.

The Bottom Line

Even though returns on capital have fallen in the short term, we find it promising that revenue and capital employed have both increased for Ambev. And there could be an opportunity here if other metrics look good too, because the stock has declined 16% in the last five years. As a result, we'd recommend researching this stock further to uncover what other fundamentals of the business can show us.

Like most companies, Ambev does come with some risks, and we've found 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.

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.