If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to 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. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd (SHSE:600219) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd:

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

0.072 = CN¥3.8b ÷ (CN¥70b - CN¥17b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd has an ROCE of 7.2%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 6.2% average generated by the Metals and Mining industry.

View our latest analysis for Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd

In the above chart we have measured Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd'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 Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd Tell Us?

There are better returns on capital out there than what we're seeing at Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd. The company has consistently earned 7.2% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 38% in that time. Given the company has increased the amount of capital employed, it appears the investments that have been made simply don't provide a high return on capital.

The Bottom Line

As we've seen above, Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 40% to shareholders over the last five years. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing Shandong Nanshan AluminiumLtd, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.

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.