Yahoo Finance Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) Is Experiencing Growth In Returns On Capital
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 Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.
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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Caterpillar:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.13 = US$7.0b ÷ (US$81b - US$26b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2021).
Thus, Caterpillar has an ROCE of 13%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Machinery industry average of 10% it's much better.
See our latest analysis for Caterpillar
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Caterpillar compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Caterpillar.
The Trend Of ROCE
Caterpillar is showing promise given that its ROCE is trending up and to the right. The figures show that over the last five years, ROCE has grown 135% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. Basically the business is generating higher returns from the same amount of capital and that is proof that there are improvements in the company's efficiencies. On that front, things are looking good so it's worth exploring what management has said about growth plans going forward.
The Bottom Line
To bring it all together, Caterpillar has done well to increase the returns it's generating from its capital employed. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.
On a separate note, we've found 2 warning signs for Caterpillar you'll probably want to know about.
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.
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.
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