If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. Although, when we looked at Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd (SZSE:300482), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd:

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

0.068 = CN¥367m ÷ (CN¥5.8b - CN¥348m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd has an ROCE of 6.8%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Medical Equipment industry average of 8.0%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd 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 Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 6.8% from 15% five years ago. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. This could mean that the business is losing its competitive advantage or market share, because while more money is being put into ventures, it's actually producing a lower return - "less bang for their buck" per se.

The Bottom Line On Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd's ROCE

We're a bit apprehensive about Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. In spite of that, the stock has delivered a 21% return to shareholders who held over the last five years. Either way, we aren't huge fans of the current trends and so with that we think you might find better investments elsewhere.

One more thing, we've spotted 3 warning signs facing Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd that you might find interesting.

While Guangzhou Wondfo BiotechLtd may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list 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.