Returns On Capital At Veridis Environment (TLV:VRDS) Have Hit The Brakes

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base 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 Veridis Environment (TLV:VRDS) 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 Veridis Environment, this is the formula:

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

0.066 = ₪87m ÷ (₪1.8b - ₪436m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).

So, Veridis Environment has an ROCE of 6.6%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 8.0% average generated by the Commercial Services industry.

View our latest analysis for Veridis Environment

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 Veridis Environment, check out these free graphs here.

The Trend Of ROCE

There are better returns on capital out there than what we're seeing at Veridis Environment. Over the past two years, ROCE has remained relatively flat at around 6.6% and the business has deployed 24% more capital into its operations. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.

Our Take On Veridis Environment's ROCE

In conclusion, Veridis Environment has been investing more capital into the business, but returns on that capital haven't increased. And investors appear hesitant that the trends will pick up because the stock has fallen 21% in the last year. 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.

On a final note, we found 3 warning signs for Veridis Environment (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable) you should be aware of.

While Veridis Environment 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.