Stock Analysis

Comet Holding (VTX:COTN) Is Achieving High Returns On Its Capital

SWX:COTN
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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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. So when we looked at the ROCE trend of Comet Holding (VTX:COTN) we really 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Comet Holding:

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

0.23 = CHF99m ÷ (CHF557m - CHF128m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

So, Comet Holding has an ROCE of 23%. While that is an outstanding return, the rest of the Electronic industry generates similar returns, on average.

See our latest analysis for Comet Holding

roce
SWX:COTN Return on Capital Employed June 25th 2023

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Comet Holding 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 Comet Holding here for free.

SWOT Analysis for Comet Holding

Strength
  • Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.
  • Debt is not viewed as a risk.
  • Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.
Weakness
  • Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average.
  • Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Electronic market.
Opportunity
  • Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Swiss market.
  • Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.
Threat
  • Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

The Trend Of ROCE

The trends we've noticed at Comet Holding are quite reassuring. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 23%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 55% more capital is being employed now too. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

Our Take On Comet Holding's ROCE

All in all, it's terrific to see that Comet Holding is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And a remarkable 120% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.

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

If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning 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.