Here's What To Make Of Vantage Towers' (FRA:VTWR) Decelerating Rates Of Return

Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Vantage Towers (FRA:VTWR) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. To calculate this metric for Vantage Towers, this is the formula:

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

0.044 = €425m ÷ (€10b - €666m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).

So, Vantage Towers has an ROCE of 4.4%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Telecom industry average of 5.7%.

View our latest analysis for Vantage Towers

In the above chart we have measured Vantage Towers' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Vantage Towers here for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

Things have been pretty stable at Vantage Towers, with its capital employed and returns on that capital staying somewhat the same for the last . This tells us the company isn't reinvesting in itself, so it's plausible that it's past the growth phase. With that in mind, unless investment picks up again in the future, we wouldn't expect Vantage Towers to be a multi-bagger going forward. On top of that you'll notice that Vantage Towers has been paying out a large portion (83%) of earnings in the form of dividends to shareholders. Most shareholders probably know this and own the stock for its dividend.

The Bottom Line On Vantage Towers' ROCE

In summary, Vantage Towers isn't compounding its earnings but is generating stable returns on the same amount of capital employed. Since the stock has gained an impressive 22% over the last year, investors must think there's better things to come. However, unless these underlying trends turn more positive, we wouldn't get our hopes up too high.

One more thing to note, we've identified 2 warning signs with Vantage Towers and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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.