Capital Allocation Trends At Metropolis Healthcare (NSE:METROPOLIS) Aren't Ideal

If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Metropolis Healthcare (NSE:METROPOLIS) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Understanding 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 Metropolis Healthcare, this is the formula:

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

0.15 = ₹1.9b ÷ (₹15b - ₹2.5b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Metropolis Healthcare has an ROCE of 15%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty normal return, and it's somewhat close to the Healthcare industry average of 13%.

View our latest analysis for Metropolis Healthcare

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Metropolis Healthcare compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Metropolis Healthcare Tell Us?

In terms of Metropolis Healthcare's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 15% from 40% five years ago. However it looks like Metropolis Healthcare might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments.

The Bottom Line

To conclude, we've found that Metropolis Healthcare is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. Since the stock has declined 29% over the last three years, investors may not be too optimistic on this trend improving either. 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 more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Metropolis Healthcare that you might find interesting.

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.