If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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 when we looked at Hygon Information Technology (SHSE:688041) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

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. To calculate this metric for Hygon Information Technology, this is the formula:

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

0.052 = CN¥1.2b ÷ (CN¥24b - CN¥1.5b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Hygon Information Technology has an ROCE of 5.2%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 4.4% average generated by the Semiconductor industry.

See our latest analysis for Hygon Information Technology

In the above chart we have measured Hygon Information Technology's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Hygon Information Technology.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

We're delighted to see that Hygon Information Technology is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. About four years ago the company was generating losses but things have turned around because it's now earning 5.2% on its capital. In addition to that, Hygon Information Technology is employing 339% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, both common traits of a multi-bagger.

Our Take On Hygon Information Technology's ROCE

Overall, Hygon Information Technology gets a big tick from us thanks in most part to the fact that it is now profitable and is reinvesting in its business. And with a respectable 80% awarded to those who held the stock over the last year, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if Hygon Information Technology can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.

If you want to continue researching Hygon Information Technology, you might be interested to know about the 1 warning sign that our analysis has discovered.

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.

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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.