STEICO (ETR:ST5) Might Have The Makings Of A Multi-Bagger

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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 STEICO (ETR:ST5) so let's look a bit deeper.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for STEICO:

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

0.16 = €73m ÷ (€501m - €53m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).

Thus, STEICO has an ROCE of 16%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty normal return, and it's somewhat close to the Building industry average of 14%.

Check out our latest analysis for STEICO

In the above chart we have measured STEICO's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Can We Tell From STEICO's ROCE Trend?

The trends we've noticed at STEICO are quite reassuring. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 16%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 67%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.

The Bottom Line

All in all, it's terrific to see that STEICO is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And a remarkable 124% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if STEICO can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.

On a final note, we've found 1 warning sign for STEICO that we think you should be aware of.

While STEICO 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.