The Returns At Shan-Loong TransportationLtd (TPE:2616) Provide Us With Signs Of What's To Come

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'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Shan-Loong TransportationLtd (TPE:2616) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Shan-Loong TransportationLtd:

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

0.049 = NT$366m ÷ (NT$9.5b - NT$2.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).

Thus, Shan-Loong TransportationLtd has an ROCE of 4.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Specialty Retail industry average of 8.4%.

See our latest analysis for Shan-Loong TransportationLtd

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'd like to look at how Shan-Loong TransportationLtd has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

The Trend Of ROCE

The returns on capital haven't changed much for Shan-Loong TransportationLtd in recent years. The company has employed 86% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 4.9%. Given the company has increased the amount of capital employed, it appears the investments that have been made simply don't provide a high return on capital.

The Key Takeaway

Long story short, while Shan-Loong TransportationLtd has been reinvesting its capital, the returns that it's generating haven't increased. Since the stock has gained an impressive 87% over the last five years, investors must think there's better things to come. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high.

Since virtually every company faces some risks, it's worth knowing what they are, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Shan-Loong TransportationLtd (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should know about.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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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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