There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. With that in mind, the ROCE of Pool (NASDAQ:POOL) looks attractive right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us.

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 Pool:

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

0.29 = US$776m ÷ (US$3.4b - US$709m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Pool has an ROCE of 29%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 18% earned by companies in a similar industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Pool

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Pool compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Pool here for free.

The Trend Of ROCE

In terms of Pool's history of ROCE, it's quite impressive. The company has employed 174% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 29%. Returns like this are the envy of most businesses and given it has repeatedly reinvested at these rates, that's even better. If Pool can keep this up, we'd be very optimistic about its future.

What We Can Learn From Pool's ROCE

Pool has demonstrated its proficiency by generating high returns on increasing amounts of capital employed, which we're thrilled about. On top of that, the stock has rewarded shareholders with a remarkable 160% return to those who've held over the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing Pool, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.

Pool is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.

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.