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. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount 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. In light of that, when we looked at Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co (SZSE:002938) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co:

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

0.11 = CN¥3.4b ÷ (CN¥44b - CN¥12b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

So, Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co has an ROCE of 11%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Electronic industry average of 5.5% it's much better.

In the above chart we have measured Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 18%, but since then they've fallen to 11%. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

The Bottom Line

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. These growth trends haven't led to growth returns though, since the stock has fallen 27% over the last five years. So we think it'd be worthwhile to look further into this stock given the trends look encouraging.

One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Avary Holding(Shenzhen)Co that you might find interesting.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.