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. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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. Although, when we looked at Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology (SHSE:688318), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

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 Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology:

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

0.084 = CN¥289m ÷ (CN¥3.6b - CN¥197m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology has an ROCE of 8.4%. On its own that's a low return, but compared to the average of 3.3% generated by the Software industry, it's much better.

In the above chart we have measured Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology .

What Does the ROCE Trend For Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology Tell Us?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology doesn't inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 16% over the last five years. 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.

The Bottom Line

Even though returns on capital have fallen in the short term, we find it promising that revenue and capital employed have both increased for Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology. Furthermore the stock has climbed 32% over the last three years, it would appear that investors are upbeat about the future. So while the underlying trends could already be accounted for by investors, we still think this stock is worth looking into further.

One final note, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology (including 1 which is significant) .

While Shenzhen Fortune Trend technology 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.

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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.