If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So, when we ran our eye over Soitec's (EPA:SOI) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw.
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. To calculate this metric for Soitec, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.10 = €127m ÷ (€1.7b - €393m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).
So, Soitec has an ROCE of 10%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty normal return, and it's somewhat close to the Semiconductor industry average of 12%.
See our latest analysis for Soitec
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Soitec compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Soitec here for free.
The Trend Of ROCE
The trend of ROCE doesn't stand out much, but returns on a whole are decent. The company has consistently earned 10% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 394% in that time. Since 10% is a moderate ROCE though, it's good to see a business can continue to reinvest at these decent rates of return. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns.
Our Take On Soitec's ROCE
In the end, Soitec has proven its ability to adequately reinvest capital at good rates of return. And long term investors would be thrilled with the 236% return they've received over the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research.
Soitec does come with some risks though, we found 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those is a bit concerning...
If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.
About ENXTPA:SOI
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