If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to 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. In light of that, when we looked at Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop (SZSE:300792) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Understanding 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop:

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

0.048 = CN¥136m ÷ (CN¥3.1b - CN¥255m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

So, Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop has an ROCE of 4.8%. On its own that's a low return on capital but it's in line with the industry's average returns of 4.9%.

Check out our latest analysis for Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop

In the above chart we have measured Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop'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 Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop here for free.

What Can We Tell From Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop's ROCE Trend?

In terms of Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 4.8% from 52% five years ago. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

On a related note, Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop has decreased its current liabilities to 8.2% of total assets. So we could link some of this to the decrease in ROCE. What's more, this can reduce some aspects of risk to the business because now the company's suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of its operations. Some would claim this reduces the business' efficiency at generating ROCE since it is now funding more of the operations with its own money.

The Bottom Line On Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop's ROCE

In summary, Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. And in the last three years, the stock has given away 64% so the market doesn't look too hopeful on these trends strengthening any time soon. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere.

Like most companies, Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop does come with some risks, and we've found 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

While Hangzhou Onechance Tech Crop 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.