There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. 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, the ROCE of Lincoln Electric Holdings (NASDAQ:LECO) looks great, so lets see what the trend can tell us.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Lincoln Electric Holdings, this is the formula:

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

0.26 = US$666m ÷ (US$3.3b - US$808m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Lincoln Electric Holdings has an ROCE of 26%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Machinery industry average of 12%.

See our latest analysis for Lincoln Electric Holdings

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Lincoln Electric Holdings 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 Lincoln Electric Holdings here for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

Investors would be pleased with what's happening at Lincoln Electric Holdings. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 26%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 34% more capital is being employed now too. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Lincoln Electric Holdings thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

Our Take On Lincoln Electric Holdings' 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 Lincoln Electric Holdings has. Since the stock has returned a staggering 125% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

Like most companies, Lincoln Electric Holdings does come with some risks, and we've found 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.

If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets here.

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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.