What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount 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. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Napco Security Technologies' (NASDAQ:NSSC) look very promising so lets take a look.

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

For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. To calculate this metric for Napco Security Technologies, this is the formula:

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

0.24 = US$38m ÷ (US$177m - US$22m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Napco Security Technologies has an ROCE of 24%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 12% earned by companies in a similar industry.

View our latest analysis for Napco Security Technologies

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Napco Security Technologies compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Napco Security Technologies here for free.

So How Is Napco Security Technologies' ROCE Trending?

Investors would be pleased with what's happening at Napco Security Technologies. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 24%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 141%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

The Bottom Line

To sum it up, Napco Security Technologies has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And a remarkable 354% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.

While Napco Security Technologies looks impressive, no company is worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether NSSC is currently trading for a fair price.

If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets here.

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.