What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Excelerate Energy (NYSE:EE) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. The formula for this calculation on Excelerate Energy is:

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

0.077 = US$206m ÷ (US$2.9b - US$197m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

So, Excelerate Energy has an ROCE of 7.7%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Oil and Gas industry average of 13%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Excelerate Energy 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 Excelerate Energy .

So How Is Excelerate Energy's ROCE Trending?

The returns on capital haven't changed much for Excelerate Energy in recent years. The company has consistently earned 7.7% for the last four years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 33% in that time. Given the company has increased the amount of capital employed, it appears the investments that have been made simply don't provide a high return on capital.

The Bottom Line On Excelerate Energy's ROCE

As we've seen above, Excelerate Energy's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. Unsurprisingly then, the total return to shareholders over the last year has been flat. All in all, the inherent trends aren't typical of multi-baggers, so if that's what you're after, we think you might have more luck elsewhere.

Excelerate Energy could be trading at an attractive price in other respects, so you might find our free intrinsic value estimation for EE on our platform quite valuable.

While Excelerate Energy 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.