Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. Although, when we looked at Helios Technologies (NYSE:HLIO), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

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 Helios Technologies, this is the formula:

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

0.061 = US$88m ÷ (US$1.6b - US$145m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

Thus, Helios Technologies has an ROCE of 6.1%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Machinery industry average of 13%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Helios Technologies 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 Helios Technologies .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Helios Technologies doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 9.8%, but since then they've fallen to 6.1%. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments.

The Bottom Line On Helios Technologies' ROCE

To conclude, we've found that Helios Technologies is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. Unsurprisingly, the stock has only gained 22% 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.

Helios Technologies does come with some risks though, we found 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those is a bit unpleasant...

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.