When it comes to investing, there are some useful financial metrics that can warn us when a business is potentially in trouble. Typically, we'll see the trend of both return on capital employed (ROCE) declining and this usually coincides with a decreasing amount of capital employed. Basically the company is earning less on its investments and it is also reducing its total assets. And from a first read, things don't look too good at Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd (SZSE:002478), so let's see why.

What Is 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 Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd, this is the formula:

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

0.11 = CN¥625m ÷ (CN¥8.0b - CN¥2.4b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

So, Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd has an ROCE of 11%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Metals and Mining industry average of 7.0% it's much better.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd 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 analyst report for Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd .

What Does the ROCE Trend For Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd Tell Us?

There is reason to be cautious about Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd, given the returns are trending downwards. Unfortunately the returns on capital have diminished from the 16% that they were earning five years ago. On top of that, it's worth noting that the amount of capital employed within the business has remained relatively steady. Since returns are falling and the business has the same amount of assets employed, this can suggest it's a mature business that hasn't had much growth in the last five years. If these trends continue, we wouldn't expect Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd to turn into a multi-bagger.

The Key Takeaway

In summary, it's unfortunate that Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd is generating lower returns from the same amount of capital. And, the stock has remained flat over the last five years, so investors don't seem too impressed either. That being the case, unless the underlying trends revert to a more positive trajectory, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

Since virtually every company faces some risks, it's worth knowing what they are, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Jiangsu Changbao SteeltubeLtd (of which 1 is significant!) that you should 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.