If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, 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. So on that note, Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd (SHSE:603611) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd:

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

0.17 = CN¥522m ÷ (CN¥9.1b - CN¥6.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd has an ROCE of 17%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Machinery industry average of 6.3% it's much better.

In the above chart we have measured Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd'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 Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd .

The Trend Of ROCE

We like the trends that we're seeing from Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 17%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 65%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

For the record though, there was a noticeable increase in the company's current liabilities over the period, so we would attribute some of the ROCE growth to that. The current liabilities has increased to 67% of total assets, so the business is now more funded by the likes of its suppliers or short-term creditors. And with current liabilities at those levels, that's pretty high.

Our Take On Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd's ROCE

A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd has. Since the stock has only returned 14% to shareholders over the last five years, the promising fundamentals may not be recognized yet by investors. So with that in mind, we think the stock deserves further research.

If you'd like to know more about Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd, we've spotted 2 warning signs, and 1 of them makes us a bit uncomfortable.

While Noblelift Intelligent EquipmentLtd 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.