The Returns At Guangzhou Port (SHSE:601228) Aren't Growing

If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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. In light of that, when we looked at Guangzhou Port (SHSE:601228) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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

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 Guangzhou Port is:

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

0.042 = CN¥1.7b ÷ (CN¥50b - CN¥10b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

So, Guangzhou Port has an ROCE of 4.2%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 4.9% average generated by the Infrastructure industry.

See our latest analysis for Guangzhou Port

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Guangzhou Port's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you want to delve into the historical earnings , check out these free graphs detailing revenue and cash flow performance of Guangzhou Port.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Guangzhou Port Tell Us?

In terms of Guangzhou Port's historical ROCE trend, it doesn't exactly demand attention. Over the past five years, ROCE has remained relatively flat at around 4.2% and the business has deployed 70% more capital into its operations. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.

Our Take On Guangzhou Port's ROCE

As we've seen above, Guangzhou Port's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. And with the stock having returned a mere 2.6% in the last five years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

If you'd like to know more about Guangzhou Port, we've spotted 2 warning signs, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us.

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.