If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. So when we looked at Mytilineos (ATH:MYTIL) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.
What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Mytilineos:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.11 = €411m ÷ (€5.8b - €2.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).
Therefore, Mytilineos has an ROCE of 11%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 7.3% generated by the Industrials industry.
See our latest analysis for Mytilineos
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Mytilineos 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
The trends we've noticed at Mytilineos are quite reassuring. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 11%. 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 75%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.
Our Take On Mytilineos' ROCE
A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Mytilineos has. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.
Mytilineos does come with some risks though, we found 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those are concerning...
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.
About ATSE:MYTIL
Metlen Energy & Metals
Operates in metallurgy, sustainable engineering solution, renewables and storage development, and power and gas sectors in Greece, the European Union, Hellas, and internationally.
Good value with reasonable growth potential.