The Trends At P.I.E. Industrial Berhad (KLSE:PIE) That You Should Know About

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base 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. However, after investigating P.I.E. Industrial Berhad (KLSE:PIE), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

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 P.I.E. Industrial Berhad:

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

0.058 = RM26m ÷ (RM681m - RM234m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).

So, P.I.E. Industrial Berhad has an ROCE of 5.8%. On its own that's a low return on capital but it's in line with the industry's average returns of 5.8%.

Check out our latest analysis for P.I.E. Industrial Berhad

In the above chart we have measured P.I.E. Industrial Berhad's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for P.I.E. Industrial Berhad.

How Are Returns Trending?

In terms of P.I.E. Industrial Berhad's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 18%, but since then they've fallen to 5.8%. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. This could mean that the business is losing its competitive advantage or market share, because while more money is being put into ventures, it's actually producing a lower return - "less bang for their buck" per se.

The Key Takeaway

From the above analysis, we find it rather worrisome that returns on capital and sales for P.I.E. Industrial Berhad have fallen, meanwhile the business is employing more capital than it was five years ago. Since the stock has skyrocketed 111% over the last five years, it looks like investors have high expectations of the stock. Regardless, we don't feel too comfortable with the fundamentals so we'd be steering clear of this stock for now.

If you want to continue researching P.I.E. Industrial Berhad, you might be interested to know about the 2 warning signs that our analysis has discovered.

While P.I.E. Industrial Berhad 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. 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.
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