We Like These Underlying Return On Capital Trends At Cerrado Gold (CVE:CERT)

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. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Cerrado Gold (CVE:CERT) so let's look a bit deeper.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Cerrado Gold:

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

0.18 = US$14m ÷ (US$138m - US$61m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022).

Therefore, Cerrado Gold has an ROCE of 18%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Metals and Mining industry average of 2.6% it's much better.

Check out our latest analysis for Cerrado Gold

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Cerrado Gold 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 Cerrado Gold here for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

We're delighted to see that Cerrado Gold is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. The company was generating losses four years ago, but now it's earning 18% which is a sight for sore eyes. In addition to that, Cerrado Gold is employing 1,764% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can tell us that the company has plenty of reinvestment opportunities that are able to generate higher returns.

On a side note, we noticed that the improvement in ROCE appears to be partly fueled by an increase in current liabilities. Essentially the business now has suppliers or short-term creditors funding about 44% of its operations, which isn't ideal. And with current liabilities at those levels, that's pretty high.

The Bottom Line On Cerrado Gold's ROCE

Long story short, we're delighted to see that Cerrado Gold's reinvestment activities have paid off and the company is now profitable. Since the stock has returned a solid 11% to shareholders over the last year, it's fair to say investors are beginning to recognize these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

Like most companies, Cerrado Gold does come with some risks, and we've found 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

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.