Returns On Capital Signal Tricky Times Ahead For Anhui Conch Cement (HKG:914)

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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. Although, when we looked at Anhui Conch Cement (HKG:914), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

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Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on Anhui Conch Cement is:

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

0.038 = CN¥8.6b ÷ (CN¥255b - CN¥29b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024).

So, Anhui Conch Cement has an ROCE of 3.8%. On its own that's a low return, but compared to the average of 3.0% generated by the Basic Materials industry, it's much better.

View our latest analysis for Anhui Conch Cement

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Anhui Conch Cement compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Anhui Conch Cement .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

In terms of Anhui Conch Cement's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 28%, but since then they've fallen to 3.8%. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. This could mean that the business is losing its competitive advantage or market share, because while more money is being put into ventures, it's actually producing a lower return - "less bang for their buck" per se.

What We Can Learn From Anhui Conch Cement's ROCE

From the above analysis, we find it rather worrisome that returns on capital and sales for Anhui Conch Cement have fallen, meanwhile the business is employing more capital than it was five years ago. Long term shareholders who've owned the stock over the last five years have experienced a 48% depreciation in their investment, so it appears the market might not like these trends either. Unless there is a shift to a more positive trajectory in these metrics, we would look elsewhere.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Anhui Conch Cement and understanding it should be part of your investment process.

While Anhui Conch Cement 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.