Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card!
Today we are going to look at ePlus inc. (NASDAQ:PLUS) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, we’ll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires.
First, we’ll go over how we calculate ROCE. Next, we’ll compare it to others in its industry. Then we’ll determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since ‘No two businesses are exactly alike.’
So, How Do We Calculate ROCE?
Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets – Current Liabilities)
Or for ePlus:
0.18 = US$81m ÷ (US$786m – US$329m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.)
Therefore, ePlus has an ROCE of 18%.
Check out our latest analysis for ePlus
Is ePlus’s ROCE Good?
ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. In our analysis, ePlus’s ROCE is meaningfully higher than the 12% average in the Electronic industry. I think that’s good to see, since it implies the company is better than other companies at making the most of its capital. Regardless of where ePlus sits next to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears satisfactory, and this company could be worth a closer look.
When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. ROCE can be deceptive for cyclical businesses, as returns can look incredible in boom times, and terribly low in downturns. ROCE is, after all, simply a snap shot of a single year. Since the future is so important for investors, you should check out our free report on analyst forecasts for ePlus.
Do ePlus’s Current Liabilities Skew Its ROCE?
Current liabilities include invoices, such as supplier payments, short-term debt, or a tax bill, that need to be paid within 12 months. The ROCE equation subtracts current liabilities from capital employed, so a company with a lot of current liabilities appears to have less capital employed, and a higher ROCE than otherwise. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets.
ePlus has total assets of US$786m and current liabilities of US$329m. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 42% of its total assets. ePlus has a middling amount of current liabilities, increasing its ROCE somewhat.
Our Take On ePlus’s ROCE
With a decent ROCE, the company could be interesting, but remember that the level of current liabilities make the ROCE look better. ePlus shapes up well under this analysis, but it is far from the only business delivering excellent numbers . You might also want to check this free collection of companies delivering excellent earnings growth.
For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.