Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Lotte Chilsung Beverage (KRX:005300) so let's look a bit deeper.
What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Lotte Chilsung Beverage:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.061 = ₩188b ÷ (₩4.4t - ₩1.4t) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2025).
Therefore, Lotte Chilsung Beverage has an ROCE of 6.1%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Beverage industry average of 7.1%.
View our latest analysis for Lotte Chilsung Beverage
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Lotte Chilsung Beverage 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 analyst report for Lotte Chilsung Beverage .
What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us
Even though ROCE is still low in absolute terms, it's good to see it's heading in the right direction. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 6.1%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 20%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Lotte Chilsung Beverage thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
The Key Takeaway
A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Lotte Chilsung Beverage has. Since the stock has only returned 37% to shareholders over the last five years, the promising fundamentals may not be recognized yet by investors. So with that in mind, we think the stock deserves further research.
Lotte Chilsung Beverage does come with some risks though, we found 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable...
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.