If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Vita Coco Company's (NASDAQ:COCO) look very promising so lets take a look.
What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Vita Coco Company:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.28 = US$56m ÷ (US$286m - US$83m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
Thus, Vita Coco Company has an ROCE of 28%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 15% earned by companies in a similar industry.
Check out our latest analysis for Vita Coco Company
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Vita Coco Company 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 analyst report for Vita Coco Company .
What Does the ROCE Trend For Vita Coco Company Tell Us?
The trends we've noticed at Vita Coco Company are quite reassuring. The numbers show that in the last four years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 28%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 95% more capital is being employed now too. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Vita Coco Company thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
What We Can Learn From Vita Coco Company's ROCE
All in all, it's terrific to see that Vita Coco Company is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And with a respectable 53% awarded to those who held the stock over the last year, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.
On the other side of ROCE, we have to consider valuation. That's why we have a FREE intrinsic value estimation for COCO on our platform that is definitely worth checking out.
If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets here.
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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 NasdaqGS:COCO
Vita Coco Company
Develops, markets, and distributes coconut water products under the Vita Coco brand name in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Outstanding track record with excellent balance sheet.