Some Investors May Be Worried About Croda International's (LON:CRDA) Returns On Capital

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Croda International (LON:CRDA) 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 Croda International is:

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

0.13 = UK£370m ÷ (UK£3.2b - UK£419m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2021).

Therefore, Croda International has an ROCE of 13%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Chemicals industry average of 11% it's much better.

View our latest analysis for Croda International

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Croda International 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 Croda International here for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

In terms of Croda International's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 22%, but since then they've fallen to 13%. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. And if the increased capital generates additional returns, the business, and thus shareholders, will benefit in the long run.

What We Can Learn From Croda International's ROCE

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Croda International is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. And long term investors must be optimistic going forward because the stock has returned a huge 211% to shareholders in the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we would look further into this stock to make sure the other metrics justify the positive view.

On a final note, we've found 2 warning signs for Croda International that we think you should be aware of.

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.