Kernel Holding (WSE:KER) Is Reinvesting To Multiply In Value

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. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. With that in mind, the ROCE of Kernel Holding (WSE:KER) looks attractive right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us.

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. To calculate this metric for Kernel Holding, this is the formula:

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

0.24 = US$688m ÷ (US$3.9b - US$1.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2021).

Thus, Kernel Holding has an ROCE of 24%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 8.8% earned by companies in a similar industry.

See our latest analysis for Kernel Holding

In the above chart we have measured Kernel Holding'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 Kernel Holding.

The Trend Of ROCE

We'd be pretty happy with returns on capital like Kernel Holding. The company has employed 170% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 24%. Now considering ROCE is an attractive 24%, this combination is actually pretty appealing because it means the business can consistently put money to work and generate these high returns. If these trends can continue, it wouldn't surprise us if the company became a multi-bagger.

In Conclusion...

In summary, we're delighted to see that Kernel Holding has been compounding returns by reinvesting at consistently high rates of return, as these are common traits of a multi-bagger. Despite the good fundamentals, total returns from the stock have been virtually flat over the last five years. For that reason, savvy investors might want to look further into this company in case it's a prime investment.

On a final note, we found 3 warning signs for Kernel Holding (1 is a bit concerning) 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. 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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