If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base 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 Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) 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)

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 Essential Utilities:

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

0.042 = US$707m ÷ (US$18b - US$683m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

Therefore, Essential Utilities has an ROCE of 4.2%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 4.8% average generated by the Water Utilities industry.

In the above chart we have measured Essential Utilities' 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 Essential Utilities .

How Are Returns Trending?

There are better returns on capital out there than what we're seeing at Essential Utilities. The company has employed 88% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 4.2%. 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 Essential Utilities' ROCE

In summary, Essential Utilities has simply been reinvesting capital and generating the same low rate of return as before. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 2.0% to shareholders over the last five years. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

If you'd like to know more about Essential Utilities, we've spotted 3 warning signs, and 1 of them is concerning.

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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