The Trend Of High Returns At Farmacias Benavides. de (BMV:BEVIDESB) Has Us Very Interested

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? 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. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Farmacias Benavides. de's (BMV:BEVIDESB) look very promising so lets take a look.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Farmacias Benavides. de, this is the formula:

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

0.27 = Mex$528m ÷ (Mex$6.8b - Mex$4.8b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

Therefore, Farmacias Benavides. de has an ROCE of 27%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Consumer Retailing industry average of 9.1%.

See our latest analysis for Farmacias Benavides. de

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're interested in investigating Farmacias Benavides. de's past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Are Returns Trending?

We're delighted to see that Farmacias Benavides. de 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 27% on its capital. And unsurprisingly, like most companies trying to break into the black, Farmacias Benavides. de is utilizing 21% more capital than it was five years ago. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.

On a side note, Farmacias Benavides. de's current liabilities are still rather high at 72% of total assets. 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 Key Takeaway

Overall, Farmacias Benavides. de gets a big tick from us thanks in most part to the fact that it is now profitable and is reinvesting in its business. Given the stock has declined 50% in the last five years, this could be a good investment if the valuation and other metrics are also appealing. So researching this company further and determining whether or not these trends will continue seems justified.

On a final note, we found 3 warning signs for Farmacias Benavides. de (2 shouldn't be ignored) you should be aware of.

High returns are a key ingredient to strong performance, so check out our free list ofstocks earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.