Yahoo Finance Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:CTSH) Has Some Way To Go 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. 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. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Cognizant Technology Solutions (NASDAQ:CTSH) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
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 Cognizant Technology Solutions, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.19 = US$2.9b ÷ (US$18b - US$3.3b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
Thus, Cognizant Technology Solutions has an ROCE of 19%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the IT industry average of 13% it's much better.
See our latest analysis for Cognizant Technology Solutions
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Cognizant Technology Solutions 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 Cognizant Technology Solutions.
What Does the ROCE Trend For Cognizant Technology Solutions Tell Us?
There hasn't been much to report for Cognizant Technology Solutions' returns and its level of capital employed because both metrics have been steady for the past five years. It's not uncommon to see this when looking at a mature and stable business that isn't re-investing its earnings because it has likely passed that phase of the business cycle. So unless we see a substantial change at Cognizant Technology Solutions in terms of ROCE and additional investments being made, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger.
What We Can Learn From Cognizant Technology Solutions' ROCE
In summary, Cognizant Technology Solutions isn't compounding its earnings but is generating stable returns on the same amount of capital employed. And with the stock having returned a mere 14% in the last five years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. Therefore, if you're looking for a multi-bagger, we'd propose looking at other options.
Like most companies, Cognizant Technology Solutions does come with some risks, and we've found 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.
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.
