Returns At UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) Appear To Be Weighed Down

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. With that in mind, the ROCE of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) looks decent, right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us.

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 UnitedHealth Group is:

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

0.18 = US$28b ÷ (US$246b - US$89b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

Thus, UnitedHealth Group has an ROCE of 18%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Healthcare industry average of 10% it's much better.

See our latest analysis for UnitedHealth Group

In the above chart we have measured UnitedHealth Group'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 UnitedHealth Group.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has consistently earned 18% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 77% in that time. 18% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that UnitedHealth Group has consistently earned this amount. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns.

The Bottom Line On UnitedHealth Group's ROCE

The main thing to remember is that UnitedHealth Group has proven its ability to continually reinvest at respectable rates of return. And long term investors would be thrilled with the 111% return they've received over the last five years. So even though the stock might be more "expensive" than it was before, we think the strong fundamentals warrant this stock for further research.

One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing UnitedHealth Group that you might find interesting.

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.