China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining (HKG:893) Might Have The Makings Of A Multi-Bagger

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? 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. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining (HKG:893) 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. The formula for this calculation on China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining is:

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

0.01 = CN¥11m ÷ (CN¥1.3b - CN¥226m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

So, China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining has an ROCE of 1.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Metals and Mining industry average of 8.3%.

See our latest analysis for China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining

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 want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining, check out these free graphs here.

What Does the ROCE Trend For China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining Tell Us?

Shareholders will be relieved that China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining has broken into profitability. The company now earns 1.0% on its capital, because five years ago it was incurring losses. On top of that, what's interesting is that the amount of capital being employed has remained steady, so the business hasn't needed to put any additional money to work to generate these higher returns. That being said, while an increase in efficiency is no doubt appealing, it'd be helpful to know if the company does have any investment plans going forward. Because in the end, a business can only get so efficient.

On a related note, the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets has decreased to 18%, which basically reduces it's funding from the likes of short-term creditors or suppliers. So shareholders would be pleased that the growth in returns has mostly come from underlying business performance.

Our Take On China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining's ROCE

As discussed above, China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. Astute investors may have an opportunity here because the stock has declined 59% in the last five years. That being the case, research into the company's current valuation metrics and future prospects seems fitting.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing China Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Mining, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.