Some Investors May Be Worried About Shang Gong Group's (SHSE:600843) Returns On Capital

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after investigating Shang Gong Group (SHSE:600843), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Shang Gong Group:

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

0.032 = CN¥131m ÷ (CN¥6.8b - CN¥2.6b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

So, Shang Gong Group has an ROCE of 3.2%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Machinery industry average of 5.5%.

View our latest analysis for Shang Gong Group

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

The Trend Of ROCE

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Shang Gong Group doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 4.3%, but since then they've fallen to 3.2%. 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.

On a side note, Shang Gong Group's current liabilities have increased over the last five years to 39% of total assets, effectively distorting the ROCE to some degree. Without this increase, it's likely that ROCE would be even lower than 3.2%. Keep an eye on this ratio, because the business could encounter some new risks if this metric gets too high.

The Bottom Line On Shang Gong Group's ROCE

While returns have fallen for Shang Gong Group in recent times, we're encouraged to see that sales are growing and that the business is reinvesting in its operations. These trends are starting to be recognized by investors since the stock has delivered a 1.5% gain to shareholders who've held over the last five years. Therefore we'd recommend looking further into this stock to confirm if it has the makings of a good investment.

On a final note, we found 4 warning signs for Shang Gong Group (2 shouldn't be ignored) you should be aware of.

While Shang Gong Group isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.