Returns On Capital At Greek Organization of Football Prognostics (ATH:OPAP) Paint A Concerning Picture

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. Having said that, from a first glance at Greek Organization of Football Prognostics (ATH:OPAP) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Greek Organization of Football Prognostics:

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

0.15 = €303m ÷ (€2.6b - €532m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).

Thus, Greek Organization of Football Prognostics has an ROCE of 15%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 5.2% generated by the Hospitality industry.

See our latest analysis for Greek Organization of Football Prognostics

In the above chart we have measured Greek Organization of Football Prognostics' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Greek Organization of Football Prognostics Tell Us?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Greek Organization of Football Prognostics doesn't inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 20% over the last five years. However it looks like Greek Organization of Football Prognostics might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

What We Can Learn From Greek Organization of Football Prognostics' ROCE

Bringing it all together, while we're somewhat encouraged by Greek Organization of Football Prognostics' reinvestment in its own business, we're aware that returns are shrinking. Investors must think there's better things to come because the stock has knocked it out of the park, delivering a 153% gain to shareholders who have held over the last five years. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high.

One more thing to note, we've identified 4 warning signs with Greek Organization of Football Prognostics and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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.