Returns At LKQ (NASDAQ:LKQ) Are On The Way Up

If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at LKQ (NASDAQ:LKQ) so let's look a bit deeper.

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 LKQ:

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

0.15 = US$1.5b ÷ (US$12b - US$2.3b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).

Therefore, LKQ has an ROCE of 15%. That's a pretty standard return and it's in line with the industry average of 15%.

Check out our latest analysis for LKQ

In the above chart we have measured LKQ'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 LKQ here for free.

So How Is LKQ's ROCE Trending?

LKQ is displaying some positive trends. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 15%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 44%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.

Our Take On LKQ's ROCE

A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what LKQ has. And investors seem to expect more of this going forward, since the stock has rewarded shareholders with a 81% return over the last five years. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing LKQ, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

While LKQ isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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.

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