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. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. Although, when we looked at SonoScape Medical (SZSE:300633), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

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 SonoScape Medical is:

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

0.14 = CN¥422m ÷ (CN¥3.7b - CN¥600m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, SonoScape Medical has an ROCE of 14%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Medical Equipment industry average of 8.2% it's much better.

In the above chart we have measured SonoScape Medical's 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 analyst report for SonoScape Medical .

What Can We Tell From SonoScape Medical's ROCE Trend?

When we looked at the ROCE trend at SonoScape Medical, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 17%, but since then they've fallen to 14%. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. And if the increased capital generates additional returns, the business, and thus shareholders, will benefit in the long run.

What We Can Learn From SonoScape Medical's ROCE

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that SonoScape Medical is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. In light of this, the stock has only gained 21% over the last five years. So this stock may still be an appealing investment opportunity, if other fundamentals prove to be sound.

SonoScape Medical could be trading at an attractive price in other respects, so you might find our free intrinsic value estimation for 300633 on our platform quite valuable.

While SonoScape Medical 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.

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.