What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount 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, the ROCE of Gruma. de (BMV:GRUMAB) looks decent, right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us.
Understanding 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. To calculate this metric for Gruma. de, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.19 = US$701m ÷ (US$4.8b - US$1.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).
So, Gruma. de has an ROCE of 19%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 13% generated by the Food industry.
View our latest analysis for Gruma. de
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Gruma. de compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Gruma. de.
What Does the ROCE Trend For Gruma. de Tell Us?
While the current returns on capital are decent, they haven't changed much. The company has consistently earned 19% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 56% in that time. 19% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Gruma. de has consistently earned this amount. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns.
The Bottom Line
The main thing to remember is that Gruma. de has proven its ability to continually reinvest at respectable rates of return. However, over the last five years, the stock has only delivered a 32% return to shareholders who held over that period. So because of the trends we're seeing, we'd recommend looking further into this stock to see if it has the makings of a multi-bagger.
If you'd like to know about the risks facing Gruma. de, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.
While Gruma. de may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.
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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.
About BMV:GRUMA B
Gruma. de
Produces and sells corn flour, tortillas, and other related products.
Outstanding track record and undervalued.
