What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group (SHSE:600874) 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. To calculate this metric for Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group, this is the formula:

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

0.058 = CN¥1.2b ÷ (CN¥25b - CN¥4.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Thus, Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group has an ROCE of 5.8%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 5.4% average generated by the Commercial Services industry.

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 Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group, check out these free graphs here.

How Are Returns Trending?

The returns on capital haven't changed much for Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group in recent years. The company has consistently earned 5.8% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 65% in that time. 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.

What We Can Learn From Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group's ROCE

In summary, Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group has simply been reinvesting capital and generating the same low rate of return as before. Since the stock has declined 31% over the last five years, investors may not be too optimistic on this trend improving either. In any case, the stock doesn't have these traits of a multi-bagger discussed above, so if that's what you're looking for, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

If you want to know some of the risks facing Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group we've found 2 warning signs (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.