If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Chongqing Zaisheng Technology (SHSE:603601) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. To calculate this metric for Chongqing Zaisheng Technology, this is the formula:

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

0.041 = CN¥121m ÷ (CN¥3.4b - CN¥427m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Chongqing Zaisheng Technology has an ROCE of 4.1%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Chemicals industry average of 5.5%.

Check out our latest analysis for Chongqing Zaisheng Technology

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Chongqing Zaisheng Technology 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 Chongqing Zaisheng Technology here for free.

The Trend Of ROCE

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Chongqing Zaisheng Technology doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 10.0%, but since then they've fallen to 4.1%. However it looks like Chongqing Zaisheng Technology might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

On a side note, Chongqing Zaisheng Technology has done well to pay down its current liabilities to 13% of total assets. So we could link some of this to the decrease in ROCE. Effectively this means their suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of the business, which reduces some elements of risk. Since the business is basically funding more of its operations with it's own money, you could argue this has made the business less efficient at generating ROCE.

What We Can Learn From Chongqing Zaisheng Technology's ROCE

Bringing it all together, while we're somewhat encouraged by Chongqing Zaisheng Technology's reinvestment in its own business, we're aware that returns are shrinking. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 0.7% to shareholders over the last five years. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

One more thing to note, we've identified 2 warning signs with Chongqing Zaisheng Technology and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.