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. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in RifaLtd's (KRX:000760) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?
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. To calculate this metric for RifaLtd, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.00031 = ₩73m ÷ (₩271b - ₩34b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2025).
Therefore, RifaLtd has an ROCE of 0.03%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Chemicals industry average of 6.3%.
See our latest analysis for RifaLtd
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'd like to look at how RifaLtd has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of RifaLtd's past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
How Are Returns Trending?
We're delighted to see that RifaLtd is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. About five years ago the company was generating losses but things have turned around because it's now earning 0.03% on its capital. Not only that, but the company is utilizing 25% more capital than before, but that's to be expected from a company trying to break into profitability. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, both common traits of a multi-bagger.
On a related note, the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets has decreased to 13%, which basically reduces it's funding from the likes of short-term creditors or suppliers. This tells us that RifaLtd has grown its returns without a reliance on increasing their current liabilities, which we're very happy with.
The Bottom Line
In summary, it's great to see that RifaLtd has managed to break into profitability and is continuing to reinvest in its business. Investors may not be impressed by the favorable underlying trends yet because over the last five years the stock has only returned 13% to shareholders. So with that in mind, we think the stock deserves further research.
RifaLtd does have some risks, we noticed 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think 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.
Valuation is complex, but we're here to simplify it.
Discover if RifaLtd might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.
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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.