Ameren (NYSE:AEE) Is Reinvesting At Lower Rates Of Return

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Ameren (NYSE:AEE) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Ameren:

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

0.05 = US$1.8b ÷ (US$39b - US$3.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

So, Ameren has an ROCE of 5.0%. Even though it's in line with the industry average of 5.0%, it's still a low return by itself.

View our latest analysis for Ameren

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Ameren 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.

The Trend Of ROCE

In terms of Ameren's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 6.3%, but since then they've fallen to 5.0%. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

The Bottom Line

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Ameren is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. In light of this, the stock has only gained 25% over the last five years. So this stock may still be an appealing investment opportunity, if other fundamentals prove to be sound.

One final note, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Ameren (including 1 which can't be ignored) .

While Ameren 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.