If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. So, when we ran our eye over Snap-on's (NYSE:SNA) trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.
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 Snap-on is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.21 = US$1.3b ÷ (US$7.2b - US$962m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2023).
Therefore, Snap-on has an ROCE of 21%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Machinery industry average of 11%.
Check out our latest analysis for Snap-on
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Snap-on compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
How Are Returns Trending?
It's hard not to be impressed by Snap-on's returns on capital. The company has consistently earned 21% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 44% in that time. Returns like this are the envy of most businesses and given it has repeatedly reinvested at these rates, that's even better. You'll see this when looking at well operated businesses or favorable business models.
The Key Takeaway
In the end, the company has proven it can reinvest it's capital at high rates of returns, which you'll remember is a trait of a multi-bagger. Therefore it's no surprise that shareholders have earned a respectable 84% return if they held over the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research.
Like most companies, Snap-on does come with some risks, and we've found 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.
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. 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.
About NYSE:SNA
Snap-on
Manufactures and markets tools, equipment, diagnostics, and repair information and systems solutions for professional users worldwide.
Flawless balance sheet established dividend payer.
