Is Taiwan Pcb Techvest (TPE:8213) Struggling?

What financial metrics can indicate to us that a company is maturing or even in decline? Businesses in decline often have two underlying trends, firstly, a declining return on capital employed (ROCE) and a declining base of capital employed. Basically the company is earning less on its investments and it is also reducing its total assets. In light of that, from a first glance at Taiwan Pcb Techvest (TPE:8213), we've spotted some signs that it could be struggling, so let's investigate.

Understanding 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. The formula for this calculation on Taiwan Pcb Techvest is:

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

0.083 = NT$1.4b ÷ (NT$30b - NT$13b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).

Thus, Taiwan Pcb Techvest has an ROCE of 8.3%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Electronic industry average of 11%.

View our latest analysis for Taiwan Pcb Techvest

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 Taiwan Pcb Techvest has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

So How Is Taiwan Pcb Techvest's ROCE Trending?

In terms of Taiwan Pcb Techvest's historical ROCE movements, the trend doesn't inspire confidence. Unfortunately the returns on capital have diminished from the 12% that they were earning five years ago. On top of that, it's worth noting that the amount of capital employed within the business has remained relatively steady. Companies that exhibit these attributes tend to not be shrinking, but they can be mature and facing pressure on their margins from competition. So because these trends aren't typically conducive to creating a multi-bagger, we wouldn't hold our breath on Taiwan Pcb Techvest becoming one if things continue as they have.

Another thing to note, Taiwan Pcb Techvest has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 45%. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

Our Take On Taiwan Pcb Techvest's ROCE

In summary, it's unfortunate that Taiwan Pcb Techvest is generating lower returns from the same amount of capital. But investors must be expecting an improvement of sorts because over the last five yearsthe stock has delivered a respectable 93% return. In any case, the current underlying trends don't bode well for long term performance so unless they reverse, we'd start looking elsewhere.

One more thing: We've identified 3 warning signs with Taiwan Pcb Techvest (at least 1 which shouldn't be ignored) , and understanding them would certainly be useful.

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. 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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