What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think SDIC Power Holdings (SHSE:600886) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for SDIC Power Holdings:

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

0.07 = CN¥16b ÷ (CN¥269b - CN¥39b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, SDIC Power Holdings has an ROCE of 7.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return, but it's much better than the Renewable Energy industry average of 5.3%.

Check out our latest analysis for SDIC Power Holdings

Above you can see how the current ROCE for SDIC Power Holdings 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 report for SDIC Power Holdings.

What Does the ROCE Trend For SDIC Power Holdings Tell Us?

The returns on capital haven't changed much for SDIC Power Holdings in recent years. Over the past five years, ROCE has remained relatively flat at around 7.0% and the business has deployed 22% more capital into its operations. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.

Our Take On SDIC Power Holdings' ROCE

In conclusion, SDIC Power Holdings has been investing more capital into the business, but returns on that capital haven't increased. Although the market must be expecting these trends to improve because the stock has gained 86% over the last five years. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high.

Since virtually every company faces some risks, it's worth knowing what they are, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for SDIC Power Holdings (of which 1 is concerning!) that you should know about.

While SDIC Power Holdings may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list 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.