There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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 Cognex (NASDAQ:CGNX), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

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

For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. To calculate this metric for Cognex, this is the formula:

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

0.05 = US$94m ÷ (US$2.1b - US$171m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

Therefore, Cognex has an ROCE of 5.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Electronic industry average of 10.0%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Cognex compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Cognex for free.

How Are Returns Trending?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Cognex doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 13%, but since then they've fallen to 5.0%. Meanwhile, the business is utilizing more capital but this hasn't moved the needle much in terms of sales in the past 12 months, so this could reflect longer term investments. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments.

Our Take On Cognex's ROCE

To conclude, we've found that Cognex is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And investors appear hesitant that the trends will pick up because the stock has fallen 12% in the last five years. Therefore based on the analysis done in this article, we don't think Cognex has the makings of a multi-bagger.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Cognex and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

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.