Is Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX) Set To Make A Turnaround?

If we're looking to avoid a business that is in decline, what are the trends that can warn us ahead of time? Typically, we'll see the trend of both return on capital employed (ROCE) declining and this usually coincides with a decreasing amount of capital employed. This combination can tell you that not only is the company investing less, it's earning less on what it does invest. On that note, looking into Minerals Technologies (NYSE:MTX), we weren't too upbeat about how things were going.

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 Minerals Technologies:

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

0.069 = US$202m ÷ (US$3.2b - US$272m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).

So, Minerals Technologies has an ROCE of 6.9%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 8.3% average generated by the Chemicals industry.

View our latest analysis for Minerals Technologies

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Minerals Technologies compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Minerals Technologies here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Minerals Technologies Tell Us?

We are a bit worried about the trend of returns on capital at Minerals Technologies. To be more specific, the ROCE was 9.8% five years ago, but since then it has dropped noticeably. On top of that, it's worth noting that the amount of capital employed within the business has remained relatively steady. This combination can be indicative of a mature business that still has areas to deploy capital, but the returns received aren't as high due potentially to new competition or smaller margins. So because these trends aren't typically conducive to creating a multi-bagger, we wouldn't hold our breath on Minerals Technologies becoming one if things continue as they have.

The Key Takeaway

All in all, the lower returns from the same amount of capital employed aren't exactly signs of a compounding machine. And, the stock has remained flat over the last five years, so investors don't seem too impressed either. With underlying trends that aren't great in these areas, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

Minerals Technologies does have some risks though, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Minerals Technologies that you might be interested in.

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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