What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's 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 Meitu's (HKG:1357) returns on capital, so let's have a look.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on Meitu is:

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

0.024 = CN¥101m ÷ (CN¥5.3b - CN¥1.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

Therefore, Meitu has an ROCE of 2.4%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Interactive Media and Services industry average of 5.6%.

In the above chart we have measured Meitu'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 Meitu .

The Trend Of ROCE

Like most people, we're pleased that Meitu is now generating some pretax earnings. Historically the company was generating losses but as we can see from the latest figures referenced above, they're now earning 2.4% on their capital employed. At first glance, it seems the business is getting more proficient at generating returns, because over the same period, the amount of capital employed has reduced by 20%. This could potentially mean that the company is selling some of its assets.

The Bottom Line On Meitu's ROCE

From what we've seen above, Meitu has managed to increase it's returns on capital all the while reducing it's capital base. And since the stock has fallen 31% over the last five years, there might be an opportunity here. That being the case, research into the company's current valuation metrics and future prospects seems fitting.

On the other side of ROCE, we have to consider valuation. That's why we have a FREE intrinsic value estimation for 1357 on our platform that is definitely worth checking out.

While Meitu 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.