What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term?  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.    Ergo, when we looked at the ROCE trends at Comfort Systems USA (NYSE:FIX), we liked what we saw.    

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.  Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Comfort Systems USA:

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

0.28 = US$488m ÷ (US$3.9b - US$2.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

Therefore, Comfort Systems USA has an ROCE of 28%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 12% earned by companies in a similar industry.  

NYSE:FIX Return on Capital Employed June 4th 2024

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Comfort Systems USA 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 Comfort Systems USA .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

Comfort Systems USA deserves to be commended in regards to it's returns.   The company has consistently earned 28% for the last  five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 163% in that time.   With returns that high, it's great that the business can continually reinvest its money at such appealing rates of return.  You'll see this when looking at well operated businesses or favorable business models.  

Another point to note, we noticed the company has increased current liabilities over the last  five years. This is intriguing because if current liabilities hadn't increased to 55% of total assets, this reported ROCE would probably be less than28% because total capital employed would be higher.The 28% ROCE could be even lower if current liabilities weren't 55% of total assets, because the the formula would show a larger base of total capital employed.  Additionally, this high level of current liabilities isn't ideal because it means the company's suppliers (or short-term creditors) are effectively funding a large portion of the business.    

The Bottom Line

Comfort Systems USA has demonstrated its proficiency by generating high returns on increasing amounts of capital employed, which we're thrilled about.        And the stock has done incredibly well with a 571% return over the last  five years, so long term investors are no doubt ecstatic with that result.   So even though the stock might be more "expensive" than it was before, we think the strong fundamentals warrant this stock for further research.    

If you'd like to know about the risks facing Comfort Systems USA, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.  

If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets 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.