Some Investors May Be Worried About Towngas Smart Energy's (HKG:1083) Returns On Capital

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Towngas Smart Energy (HKG:1083) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Towngas Smart Energy:

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

0.043 = HK$1.7b ÷ (HK$53b - HK$14b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

Therefore, Towngas Smart Energy has an ROCE of 4.3%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Gas Utilities industry average of 8.4%.

View our latest analysis for Towngas Smart Energy

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Towngas Smart Energy 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 Towngas Smart Energy .

What Can We Tell From Towngas Smart Energy's ROCE Trend?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Towngas Smart Energy doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 6.4%, but since then they've fallen to 4.3%. 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.

Our Take On Towngas Smart Energy's ROCE

To conclude, we've found that Towngas Smart Energy is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And investors appear hesitant that the trends will pick up because the stock has fallen 42% in the last five years. In any case, the stock doesn't have these traits of a multi-bagger discussed above, so if that's what you're looking for, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

One final note, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Towngas Smart Energy (including 1 which can't be ignored) .

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.

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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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com