Here's What's Concerning About Revlon's (NYSE:REV) Returns On Capital

If we're looking to avoid a business that is in decline, what are the trends that can warn us ahead of time? Typically, we'll see the trend of both return on capital employed (ROCE) declining and this usually coincides with a decreasing amount of capital employed. This indicates to us that the business is not only shrinking the size of its net assets, but its returns are falling as well. So after we looked into Revlon (NYSE:REV), the trends above didn't look too great.

What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Revlon:

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

0.0082 = US$14m ÷ (US$2.4b - US$706m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2021).

So, Revlon has an ROCE of 0.8%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Personal Products industry average of 15%.

See our latest analysis for Revlon

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Revlon compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Revlon Tell Us?

We are a bit worried about the trend of returns on capital at Revlon. Unfortunately the returns on capital have diminished from the 18% that they were earning five years ago. On top of that, it's worth noting that the amount of capital employed within the business has remained relatively steady. Companies that exhibit these attributes tend to not be shrinking, but they can be mature and facing pressure on their margins from competition. So because these trends aren't typically conducive to creating a multi-bagger, we wouldn't hold our breath on Revlon becoming one if things continue as they have.

The Bottom Line On Revlon's ROCE

In summary, it's unfortunate that Revlon is generating lower returns from the same amount of capital. It should come as no surprise then that the stock has fallen 68% over the last five years, so it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. That being the case, unless the underlying trends revert to a more positive trajectory, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

If you want to know some of the risks facing Revlon we've found 3 warning signs (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) 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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