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. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Fameglow Holdings' (HKG:8603) 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Fameglow Holdings:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.35 = HK$54m ÷ (HK$330m - HK$177m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025).
Thus, Fameglow Holdings has an ROCE of 35%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Consumer Services industry average of 9.2%.
Check out our latest analysis for Fameglow 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 Fameglow Holdings' past further, check out this free graph covering Fameglow Holdings' past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
What Can We Tell From Fameglow Holdings' ROCE Trend?
We're delighted to see that Fameglow Holdings is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 35% which is a sight for sore eyes. In addition to that, Fameglow Holdings is employing 111% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can tell us that the company has plenty of reinvestment opportunities that are able to generate higher returns.
Another thing to note, Fameglow Holdings has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 54%. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.
The Key Takeaway
To the delight of most shareholders, Fameglow Holdings has now broken into profitability. Since the stock has returned a staggering 988% 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.
If you want to continue researching Fameglow Holdings, you might be interested to know about the 1 warning sign that our analysis has discovered.
If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets here.
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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:8603
Fameglow Holdings
An investment holding company, provides non-surgical medical aesthetic services in Hong Kong.
Excellent balance sheet with acceptable track record.
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