Returns On Capital At Mondi (LON:MNDI) Have Hit The Brakes

Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. With that in mind, the ROCE of Mondi (LON:MNDI) looks decent, right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us.

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. The formula for this calculation on Mondi is:

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

0.14 = €1.1b ÷ (€9.3b - €1.7b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

Thus, Mondi has an ROCE of 14%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 11% generated by the Forestry industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Mondi

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Mondi compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

The Trend Of ROCE

While the current returns on capital are decent, they haven't changed much. The company has consistently earned 14% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 40% in that time. 14% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Mondi has consistently earned this amount. 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.

The Bottom Line On Mondi's ROCE

In the end, Mondi has proven its ability to adequately reinvest capital at good rates of return. Yet over the last five years the stock has declined 14%, so the decline might provide an opening. For that reason, savvy investors might want to look further into this company in case it's a prime investment.

One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Mondi that you might find interesting.

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.