Ignoring the stock price of a company, what are the underlying trends that tell us a business is past the growth phase? When we see a declining return on capital employed (ROCE) in conjunction with a declining base of capital employed, that's often how a mature business shows signs of aging. This indicates to us that the business is not only shrinking the size of its net assets, but its returns are falling as well. Having said that, after a brief look, CK Hutchison Holdings (HKG:1) we aren't filled with optimism, but let's investigate further.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

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. The formula for this calculation on CK Hutchison Holdings is:

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

0.025 = HK$26b ÷ (HK$1.2t - HK$144b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

So, CK Hutchison Holdings has an ROCE of 2.5%. Even though it's in line with the industry average of 2.5%, it's still a low return by itself.

View our latest analysis for CK Hutchison Holdings

In the above chart we have measured CK Hutchison Holdings' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

How Are Returns Trending?

There is reason to be cautious about CK Hutchison Holdings, given the returns are trending downwards. Unfortunately the returns on capital have diminished from the 3.8% that they were earning five years ago. Meanwhile, capital employed in the business has stayed roughly the flat over the period. This combination can be indicative of a mature business that still has areas to deploy capital, but the returns received aren't as high due potentially to new competition or smaller margins. So because these trends aren't typically conducive to creating a multi-bagger, we wouldn't hold our breath on CK Hutchison Holdings becoming one if things continue as they have.

The Bottom Line On CK Hutchison Holdings' ROCE

In the end, the trend of lower returns on the same amount of capital isn't typically an indication that we're looking at a growth stock. Investors haven't taken kindly to these developments, since the stock has declined 34% from where it was five years ago. With underlying trends that aren't great in these areas, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

Like most companies, CK Hutchison Holdings does come with some risks, and we've found 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

While CK Hutchison 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.