There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd (SZSE:301099) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd is:

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

0.11 = CN¥139m ÷ (CN¥2.3b - CN¥1.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Thus, Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd has an ROCE of 11%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 5.0% generated by the Electronic industry.

View our latest analysis for Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd doesn't inspire confidence. Around four years ago the returns on capital were 25%, but since then they've fallen to 11%. However it looks like Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

Another thing to note, Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 47%. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. Ideally we'd like to see this reduce as that would mean fewer obligations bearing risks.

The Key Takeaway

Bringing it all together, while we're somewhat encouraged by Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd's reinvestment in its own business, we're aware that returns are shrinking. Since the stock has declined 35% over the last year, investors may not be too optimistic on this trend improving either. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere.

Since virtually every company faces some risks, it's worth knowing what they are, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Shanghai Yct Electronics GroupLtd (of which 1 is concerning!) that you should know about.

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.