Allison Transmission Holdings (NYSE:ALSN) Might Have The Makings Of A Multi-Bagger

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Allison Transmission Holdings (NYSE:ALSN) so let's look a bit deeper.

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. The formula for this calculation on Allison Transmission Holdings is:

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

0.17 = US$700m ÷ (US$4.5b - US$489m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022).

So, Allison Transmission Holdings has an ROCE of 17%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Machinery industry average of 9.8% it's much better.

See our latest analysis for Allison Transmission Holdings

In the above chart we have measured Allison Transmission Holdings' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

The Trend Of ROCE

Allison Transmission Holdings is showing promise given that its ROCE is trending up and to the right. The figures show that over the last five years, ROCE has grown 34% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. Basically the business is generating higher returns from the same amount of capital and that is proof that there are improvements in the company's efficiencies. On that front, things are looking good so it's worth exploring what management has said about growth plans going forward.

Our Take On Allison Transmission Holdings' ROCE

To sum it up, Allison Transmission Holdings is collecting higher returns from the same amount of capital, and that's impressive. Considering the stock has delivered 14% to its stockholders over the last five years, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. So with that in mind, we think the stock deserves further research.

Allison Transmission Holdings does have some risks, we noticed 2 warning signs (and 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) we think you should know about.

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.