There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Gear4music (Holdings)'s (LON:G4M) look very promising so lets take a look.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. To calculate this metric for Gear4music (Holdings), this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.33 = UK£15m ÷ (UK£68m - UK£21m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2021).
So, Gear4music (Holdings) has an ROCE of 33%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Specialty Retail industry average of 13%.
Check out our latest analysis for Gear4music (Holdings)
In the above chart we have measured Gear4music (Holdings)'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 Gear4music (Holdings).
What Can We Tell From Gear4music (Holdings)'s ROCE Trend?
We like the trends that we're seeing from Gear4music (Holdings). The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 33%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 376%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Gear4music (Holdings) thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
What We Can Learn From Gear4music (Holdings)'s ROCE
In summary, it's great to see that Gear4music (Holdings) can compound returns by consistently reinvesting capital at increasing rates of return, because these are some of the key ingredients of those highly sought after multi-baggers. Since the stock has returned a staggering 184% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Gear4music (Holdings) that you might find interesting.
Gear4music (Holdings) is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.
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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.
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About AIM:G4M
Gear4music (Holdings)
Engages in the retail of musical instruments and equipment in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, and internationally.
Excellent balance sheet low.