Venture's (SGX:V03) Returns On Capital Not Reflecting Well On The Business

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Venture (SGX:V03) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Venture, this is the formula:

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

0.15 = S$434m ÷ (S$3.8b - S$893m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

Therefore, Venture has an ROCE of 15%. That's a pretty standard return and it's in line with the industry average of 15%.

View our latest analysis for Venture

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Venture compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Venture.

What Can We Tell From Venture's ROCE Trend?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Venture doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 20%, but since then they've fallen to 15%. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

In Conclusion...

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Venture is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. These growth trends haven't led to growth returns though, since the stock has fallen 22% over the last five years. As a result, we'd recommend researching this stock further to uncover what other fundamentals of the business can show us.

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

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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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.