Yahoo Finance Has Bodycote (LON:BOY) Got What It Takes To Become A Multi-Bagger?
If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Bodycote (LON:BOY) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.
What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Bodycote is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.12 = UK£104m ÷ (UK£1.2b - UK£301m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).
Therefore, Bodycote has an ROCE of 12%. By itself that's a normal return on capital and it's in line with the industry's average returns of 12%.
See our latest analysis for Bodycote
In the above chart we have measured Bodycote'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 Bodycote.
What Can We Tell From Bodycote's ROCE Trend?
On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Bodycote doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 17%, but since then they've fallen to 12%. However it looks like Bodycote might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It may take some time before the company starts to see any change in earnings from these investments.
In Conclusion...
To conclude, we've found that Bodycote is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And with the stock having returned a mere 6.7% in the last five years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. So if you're looking for a multi-bagger, the underlying trends indicate you may have better chances elsewhere.
On a final note, we've found 3 warning signs for Bodycote that we think you should be aware of.
While Bodycote 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.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
