The Return Trends At va-Q-tec (ETR:VQT) Look Promising

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, 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. So on that note, va-Q-tec (ETR:VQT) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

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. To calculate this metric for va-Q-tec, this is the formula:

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

0.0086 = €826k ÷ (€132m - €36m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).

Therefore, va-Q-tec has an ROCE of 0.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Machinery industry average of 8.8%.

See our latest analysis for va-Q-tec

In the above chart we have measured va-Q-tec's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for va-Q-tec.

So How Is va-Q-tec's ROCE Trending?

The fact that va-Q-tec is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 0.9% which is a sight for sore eyes. In addition to that, va-Q-tec is employing 42% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.

The Bottom Line On va-Q-tec's ROCE

Overall, va-Q-tec gets a big tick from us thanks in most part to the fact that it is now profitable and is reinvesting in its business. And investors seem to expect more of this going forward, since the stock has rewarded shareholders with a 70% return over the last five years. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if va-Q-tec can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.

va-Q-tec does come with some risks though, we found 4 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those are potentially serious...

While va-Q-tec 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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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.