Returns On Capital At Pentamaster Corporation Berhad (KLSE:PENTA) Paint A Concerning Picture

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Pentamaster Corporation Berhad (KLSE:PENTA) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

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. The formula for this calculation on Pentamaster Corporation Berhad is:

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

0.15 = RM111m ÷ (RM862m - RM121m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2021).

Thus, Pentamaster Corporation Berhad has an ROCE of 15%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 10% generated by the Machinery industry.

View our latest analysis for Pentamaster Corporation Berhad

In the above chart we have measured Pentamaster Corporation Berhad's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Pentamaster Corporation Berhad Tell Us?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Pentamaster Corporation Berhad doesn't inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 20% over the last five years. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments.

The Bottom Line

Bringing it all together, while we're somewhat encouraged by Pentamaster Corporation Berhad's reinvestment in its own business, we're aware that returns are shrinking. Investors must think there's better things to come because the stock has knocked it out of the park, delivering a 2,712% gain to shareholders who have held over the last five years. However, unless these underlying trends turn more positive, we wouldn't get our hopes up too high.

While Pentamaster Corporation Berhad doesn't shine too bright in this respect, it's still worth seeing if the company is trading at attractive prices. You can find that out with our FREE intrinsic value estimation on our platform.

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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