To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Asia Tech Image's (GTSM:4974) look very promising so lets take a look.
What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
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 Asia Tech Image is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.20 = NT$532m ÷ (NT$3.7b - NT$1.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2020).
Thus, Asia Tech Image has an ROCE of 20%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 10% earned by companies in a similar industry.
See our latest analysis for Asia Tech Image
Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Asia Tech Image's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of Asia Tech Image, check out these free graphs here.
What Can We Tell From Asia Tech Image's ROCE Trend?
The trends we've noticed at Asia Tech Image are quite reassuring. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 20%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 20%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.
The Key Takeaway
A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Asia Tech Image has. Since the stock has returned a staggering 125% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.
On the other side of ROCE, we have to consider valuation. That's why we have a FREE intrinsic value estimation on our platform that is definitely worth checking out.
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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About TPEX:4974
Asia Tech Image
Manufactures and sells contact image sensor modules in Taiwan and China.
Flawless balance sheet established dividend payer.