There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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. In light of that, when we looked at Xianheng International Science&Technology (SHSE:605056) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Xianheng International Science&Technology:

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

0.17 = CN¥249m ÷ (CN¥2.3b - CN¥797m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

So, Xianheng International Science&Technology has an ROCE of 17%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Machinery industry average of 6.3% it's much better.

View our latest analysis for Xianheng International Science&Technology

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of Xianheng International Science&Technology, check out these free graphs here.

The Trend Of ROCE

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Xianheng International Science&Technology, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 32%, but since then they've fallen to 17%. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. And if the increased capital generates additional returns, the business, and thus shareholders, will benefit in the long run.

The Bottom Line

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Xianheng International Science&Technology is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. These trends are starting to be recognized by investors since the stock has delivered a 0.3% gain to shareholders who've held over the last year. Therefore we'd recommend looking further into this stock to confirm if it has the makings of a good investment.

Xianheng International Science&Technology does have some risks, we noticed 3 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.

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.

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.