Ramaco Resources (NASDAQ:METC) Is Looking To Continue Growing Its Returns On Capital

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base 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. So on that note, Ramaco Resources (NASDAQ:METC) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Ramaco Resources:

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

0.034 = US$8.7m ÷ (US$299m - US$45m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).

Therefore, Ramaco Resources has an ROCE of 3.4%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Metals and Mining industry average of 17%.

Check out our latest analysis for Ramaco Resources

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Ramaco Resources 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.

So How Is Ramaco Resources' ROCE Trending?

The fact that Ramaco Resources is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 3.4% which is a sight for sore eyes. And unsurprisingly, like most companies trying to break into the black, Ramaco Resources is utilizing 134% more capital than it was five years ago. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, both common traits of a multi-bagger.

On a side note, we noticed that the improvement in ROCE appears to be partly fueled by an increase in current liabilities. Effectively this means that suppliers or short-term creditors are now funding 15% of the business, which is more than it was five years ago. It's worth keeping an eye on this because as the percentage of current liabilities to total assets increases, some aspects of risk also increase.

What We Can Learn From Ramaco Resources' ROCE

Long story short, we're delighted to see that Ramaco Resources' reinvestment activities have paid off and the company is now profitable. Since the stock has returned a staggering 159% to shareholders over the last three years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. 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.

Ramaco Resources does come with some risks though, we found 6 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those is significant...

While Ramaco Resources isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are 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.