Capital Allocation Trends At Stepan (NYSE:SCL) Aren't Ideal

If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Having said that, from a first glance at Stepan (NYSE:SCL) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

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 Stepan:

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

0.044 = US$76m ÷ (US$2.3b - US$582m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Stepan has an ROCE of 4.4%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Chemicals industry average of 10%.

Check out our latest analysis for Stepan

In the above chart we have measured Stepan's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Stepan here for free.

What Can We Tell From Stepan's ROCE Trend?

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Stepan, we didn't gain much confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 13% over the last five years. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. This could mean that the business is losing its competitive advantage or market share, because while more money is being put into ventures, it's actually producing a lower return - "less bang for their buck" per se.

The Bottom Line On Stepan's ROCE

We're a bit apprehensive about Stepan because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. In spite of that, the stock has delivered a 36% return to shareholders who held over the last five years. Either way, we aren't huge fans of the current trends and so with that we think you might find better investments elsewhere.

One more thing to note, we've identified 3 warning signs with Stepan and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

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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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.