Returns At Raspadskaya (MCX:RASP) Are On The Way Up

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. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Raspadskaya (MCX:RASP) so let's look a bit deeper.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. The formula for this calculation on Raspadskaya is:

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

0.13 = US$266m ÷ (US$2.4b - US$342m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2021).

Therefore, Raspadskaya has an ROCE of 13%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 14% generated by the Metals and Mining industry.

View our latest analysis for Raspadskaya

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of Raspadskaya, check out these free graphs here.

So How Is Raspadskaya's ROCE Trending?

The fact that Raspadskaya is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. Shareholders would no doubt be pleased with this because the business was loss-making five years ago but is is now generating 13% on its capital. Not only that, but the company is utilizing 575% more capital than before, but that's to be expected from a company trying to break into profitability. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.

On a related note, the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets has decreased to 15%, which basically reduces it's funding from the likes of short-term creditors or suppliers. This tells us that Raspadskaya has grown its returns without a reliance on increasing their current liabilities, which we're very happy with.

Our Take On Raspadskaya's ROCE

In summary, it's great to see that Raspadskaya has managed to break into profitability and is continuing to reinvest in its business. And a remarkable 511% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.

Raspadskaya does have some risks though, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Raspadskaya that you might be interested in.

While Raspadskaya isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.