To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Central China Land MediaLTD (SZSE:000719) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Central China Land MediaLTD:

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

0.094 = CN¥1.1b ÷ (CN¥17b - CN¥5.8b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

So, Central China Land MediaLTD has an ROCE of 9.4%. On its own that's a low return, but compared to the average of 5.2% generated by the Media industry, it's much better.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Central China Land MediaLTD 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 Central China Land MediaLTD .

So How Is Central China Land MediaLTD's ROCE Trending?

In terms of Central China Land MediaLTD's historical ROCE trend, it doesn't exactly demand attention. The company has employed 35% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 9.4%. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.

The Bottom Line

In summary, Central China Land MediaLTD has simply been reinvesting capital and generating the same low rate of return as before. Since the stock has gained an impressive 97% over the last five years, investors must think there's better things to come. Ultimately, if the underlying trends persist, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger going forward.

Central China Land MediaLTD does have some risks, we noticed 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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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.