The Returns On Capital At GDEX Berhad (KLSE:GDEX) Don't Inspire Confidence

If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? 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 GDEX Berhad (KLSE:GDEX), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

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 GDEX Berhad, this is the formula:

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

0.057 = RM33m ÷ (RM661m - RM84m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2020).

Thus, GDEX Berhad has an ROCE of 5.7%. On its own that's a low return, but compared to the average of 3.7% generated by the Logistics industry, it's much better.

View our latest analysis for GDEX Berhad

In the above chart we have measured GDEX 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 GDEX Berhad Tell Us?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at GDEX Berhad doesn't inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 19% over the last five years. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

The Bottom Line On GDEX Berhad's ROCE

While returns have fallen for GDEX Berhad in recent times, we're encouraged to see that sales are growing and that the business is reinvesting in its operations. However, total returns to shareholders over the last five years have been flat, which could indicate these growth trends potentially aren't accounted for yet by investors. As a result, we'd recommend researching this stock further to uncover what other fundamentals of the business can show us.

If you want to continue researching GDEX Berhad, you might be interested to know about the 1 warning sign that our analysis has discovered.

While GDEX 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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