China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings (HKG:1313) May Have Issues Allocating Its Capital

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? 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. In light of that, when we looked at China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings (HKG:1313) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

What Is 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 China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings, this is the formula:

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

0.01 = CN¥583m ÷ (CN¥73b - CN¥16b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

So, China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings has an ROCE of 1.0%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Basic Materials industry average of 2.4%.

Check out our latest analysis for China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings

Above you can see how the current ROCE for China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings for free.

The Trend Of ROCE

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings doesn't inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 21% over the last five years. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. 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.

The Bottom Line On China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings' ROCE

In summary, China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. Moreover, since the stock has crumbled 75% over the last five years, it appears investors are expecting the worst. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

While China Resources Building Materials Technology Holdings may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list 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.