Reti's (BIT:RETI) Returns Have Hit A Wall

Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. However, after investigating Reti (BIT:RETI), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

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 Reti:

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

0.079 = €1.5m ÷ (€33m - €14m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2021).

Therefore, Reti has an ROCE of 7.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the IT industry average of 13%.

See our latest analysis for Reti

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Reti 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.

How Are Returns Trending?

Over the past three years, Reti's ROCE and capital employed have both remained mostly flat. This tells us the company isn't reinvesting in itself, so it's plausible that it's past the growth phase. With that in mind, unless investment picks up again in the future, we wouldn't expect Reti to be a multi-bagger going forward.

Another thing to note, Reti has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 42%. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

The Bottom Line On Reti's ROCE

In a nutshell, Reti has been trudging along with the same returns from the same amount of capital over the last three years. Investors must think there's better things to come because the stock has knocked it out of the park, delivering a 222% gain to shareholders who have held over the last year. Ultimately, if the underlying trends persist, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger going forward.

Since virtually every company faces some risks, it's worth knowing what they are, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Reti (of which 1 can't be ignored!) that you should know about.

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.

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.

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