Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. In light of that, when we looked at Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd (SHSE:688677) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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 Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd:

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

0.12 = CN¥161m ÷ (CN¥1.4b - CN¥97m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd has an ROCE of 12%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Medical Equipment industry average of 8.5% it's much better.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd .

So How Is Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd's ROCE Trending?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd doesn't inspire confidence. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 12% from 29% five years ago. Meanwhile, the business is utilizing more capital but this hasn't moved the needle much in terms of sales in the past 12 months, so this could reflect longer term investments. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments.

The Bottom Line

To conclude, we've found that Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And with the stock having returned a mere 2.6% in the last three years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

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

While Qingdao NovelBeam TechnologyLtd isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.