To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. So on that note, Skyline Champion (NYSE:SKY) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Skyline Champion is:

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

0.11 = US$175m ÷ (US$1.9b - US$390m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

So, Skyline Champion has an ROCE of 11%. In isolation, that's a pretty standard return but against the Consumer Durables industry average of 15%, it's not as good.

In the above chart we have measured Skyline Champion'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 Skyline Champion .

So How Is Skyline Champion's ROCE Trending?

The fact that Skyline Champion is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. Shareholders would no doubt be pleased with this because the business was loss-making five years ago but is is now generating 11% on its capital. And unsurprisingly, like most companies trying to break into the black, Skyline Champion is utilizing 211% more capital than it was five years ago. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.

What We Can Learn From Skyline Champion's ROCE

To the delight of most shareholders, Skyline Champion has now broken into profitability. And a remarkable 171% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if Skyline Champion can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.

On a separate note, we've found 2 warning signs for Skyline Champion you'll probably want to know about.

While Skyline Champion 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com