What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could 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. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Shutterstock's (NYSE:SSTK) returns on capital, so let's have a look.

What Is 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Shutterstock:

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

0.22 = US$128m ÷ (US$1.0b - US$424m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Thus, Shutterstock has an ROCE of 22%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 9.0% earned by companies in a similar industry.

See our latest analysis for Shutterstock

In the above chart we have measured Shutterstock'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 report for Shutterstock.

What Can We Tell From Shutterstock's ROCE Trend?

The trends we've noticed at Shutterstock are quite reassuring. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 22%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 106% more capital is being employed now too. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Shutterstock thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

Another thing to note, Shutterstock has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 42%. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. Ideally we'd like to see this reduce as that would mean fewer obligations bearing risks.

The Bottom Line

All in all, it's terrific to see that Shutterstock is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. Considering the stock has delivered 39% to its stockholders over the last five years, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. So exploring more about this stock could uncover a good opportunity, if the valuation and other metrics stack up.

If you want to continue researching Shutterstock, you might be interested to know about the 1 warning sign that our analysis has discovered.

Shutterstock is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.

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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.