Greenland Technologies Holding (NASDAQ:GTEC) Is Experiencing Growth In Returns On Capital

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? 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. So on that note, Greenland Technologies Holding (NASDAQ:GTEC) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

Understanding 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. To calculate this metric for Greenland Technologies Holding, this is the formula:

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

0.11 = US$8.3m ÷ (US$163m - US$85m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

Therefore, Greenland Technologies Holding has an ROCE of 11%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty normal return, and it's somewhat close to the Machinery industry average of 10%.

View our latest analysis for Greenland Technologies Holding

In the above chart we have measured Greenland Technologies Holding's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Greenland Technologies Holding.

The Trend Of ROCE

We're delighted to see that Greenland Technologies Holding is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. About four years ago the company was generating losses but things have turned around because it's now earning 11% on its capital. And unsurprisingly, like most companies trying to break into the black, Greenland Technologies Holding is utilizing 73% more capital than it was four years ago. 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 side note, Greenland Technologies Holding's current liabilities are still rather high at 53% of total assets. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

The Key Takeaway

Overall, Greenland Technologies Holding gets a big tick from us thanks in most part to the fact that it is now profitable and is reinvesting in its business. Astute investors may have an opportunity here because the stock has declined 55% in the last year. So researching this company further and determining whether or not these trends will continue seems justified.

If you want to continue researching Greenland Technologies Holding, you might be interested to know about the 4 warning signs that our analysis has discovered.

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. 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.