If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding 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. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd (SHSE:603711) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd, this is the formula:

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

0.068 = CN¥237m ÷ (CN¥4.6b - CN¥1.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

Therefore, XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd has an ROCE of 6.8%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Food industry average of 7.9%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd 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 analyst report for XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd .

What Can We Tell From XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd's ROCE Trend?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 18%, but since then they've fallen to 6.8%. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

The Bottom Line

Even though returns on capital have fallen in the short term, we find it promising that revenue and capital employed have both increased for XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd. However, despite the promising trends, the stock has fallen 39% over the last five years, so there might be an opportunity here for astute investors. As a result, we'd recommend researching this stock further to uncover what other fundamentals of the business can show us.

One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing XIANGPIAOPIAO FoodLtd that you might find interesting.

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.