There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount 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. However, after investigating Kenvue (NYSE:KVUE), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Kenvue, this is the formula:

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

0.15 = US$3.0b ÷ (US$26b - US$5.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

Thus, Kenvue has an ROCE of 15%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 16% generated by the Personal Products industry.

In the above chart we have measured Kenvue's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Kenvue for free.

What Can We Tell From Kenvue's ROCE Trend?

There hasn't been much to report for Kenvue's returns and its level of capital employed because both metrics have been steady for the past three years. It's not uncommon to see this when looking at a mature and stable business that isn't re-investing its earnings because it has likely passed that phase of the business cycle. So unless we see a substantial change at Kenvue in terms of ROCE and additional investments being made, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger. That probably explains why Kenvue has been paying out 67% of its earnings as dividends to shareholders. These mature businesses typically have reliable earnings and not many places to reinvest them, so the next best option is to put the earnings into shareholders pockets.

The Bottom Line

In a nutshell, Kenvue has been trudging along with the same returns from the same amount of capital over the last three years. Unsurprisingly then, the total return to shareholders over the last year has been flat. Therefore based on the analysis done in this article, we don't think Kenvue has the makings of a multi-bagger.

On a separate note, we've found 4 warning signs for Kenvue you'll probably want to know about.

While Kenvue 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.