If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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. In light of that, when we looked at Zhaojin Mining Industry (HKG:1818) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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

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 Zhaojin Mining Industry is:

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

0.041 = CN¥1.3b ÷ (CN¥49b - CN¥18b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Zhaojin Mining Industry has an ROCE of 4.1%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Metals and Mining industry average of 8.7%.

Check out our latest analysis for Zhaojin Mining Industry

In the above chart we have measured Zhaojin Mining Industry's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Zhaojin Mining Industry.

What Can We Tell From Zhaojin Mining Industry's ROCE Trend?

In terms of Zhaojin Mining Industry's historical ROCE trend, it doesn't exactly demand attention. Over the past five years, ROCE has remained relatively flat at around 4.1% and the business has deployed 29% more capital into its operations. 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.

In Conclusion...

As we've seen above, Zhaojin Mining Industry's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. Unsurprisingly, the stock has only gained 6.9% over the last five years, which potentially indicates that investors are accounting for this going forward. Therefore, if you're looking for a multi-bagger, we'd propose looking at other options.

On a separate note, we've found 1 warning sign for Zhaojin Mining Industry you'll probably want to know about.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.