Returns On Capital Signal Tricky Times Ahead For Logistec (TSE:LGT.B)

If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Logistec (TSE:LGT.B) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Logistec is:

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

0.066 = CA$44m ÷ (CA$764m - CA$102m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2021).

Thus, Logistec has an ROCE of 6.6%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Infrastructure industry average of 6.2%.

View our latest analysis for Logistec

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Logistec's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating Logistec's past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Logistec doesn't inspire confidence. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 6.6% from 13% five years ago. Meanwhile, the business is utilizing more capital but this hasn't moved the needle much in terms of sales in the past 12 months, so this could reflect longer term investments. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

Our Take On Logistec's ROCE

In summary, Logistec is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. Unsurprisingly, the stock has only gained 1.7% over the last five years, which potentially indicates that investors are accounting for this going forward. Therefore, if you're looking for a multi-bagger, we'd propose looking at other options.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Logistec and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

While Logistec 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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