If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing 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. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Boer Power Holdings (HKG:1685) so let's look a bit deeper.
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 Boer Power Holdings:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.13 = CN¥58m ÷ (CN¥1.5b - CN¥1.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024).
Therefore, Boer Power Holdings has an ROCE of 13%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Electrical industry average of 7.3% it's much better.
See our latest analysis for Boer Power Holdings
While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you're interested in investigating Boer Power Holdings' past further, check out this free graph covering Boer Power Holdings' past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
How Are Returns Trending?
Boer Power Holdings has not disappointed in regards to ROCE growth. The data shows that returns on capital have increased by 87% over the trailing five years. That's a very favorable trend because this means that the company is earning more per dollar of capital that's being employed. Speaking of capital employed, the company is actually utilizing 27% less than it was five years ago, which can be indicative of a business that's improving its efficiency. A business that's shrinking its asset base like this isn't usually typical of a soon to be multi-bagger company.
On a side note, Boer Power Holdings' current liabilities are still rather high at 70% of total assets. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.
What We Can Learn From Boer Power Holdings' ROCE
In the end, Boer Power Holdings has proven it's capital allocation skills are good with those higher returns from less amount of capital. Since the stock has only returned 6.9% to shareholders over the last five years, the promising fundamentals may not be recognized yet by investors. So with that in mind, we think the stock deserves further research.
If you'd like to know about the risks facing Boer Power Holdings, we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should be aware of.
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.
Valuation is complex, but we're here to simplify it.
Discover if Boer Power Holdings might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.
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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 SEHK:1685
Boer Power Holdings
An investment holding company, designs, manufactures, and sells electrical distribution equipment in the People’s Republic of China.
Excellent balance sheet and good value.
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