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Hill & Smith Holdings (LON:HILS) Will Want To Turn Around Its Return Trends

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. However, after investigating Hill & Smith Holdings (LON:HILS), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Hill & Smith Holdings:

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

0.084 = UK£43m ÷ (UK£668m - UK£153m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2021).

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So, Hill & Smith Holdings has an ROCE of 8.4%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Metals and Mining industry average of 18%.

Check out our latest analysis for Hill & Smith Holdings

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In the above chart we have measured Hill & Smith Holdings' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Hill & Smith Holdings here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Hill & Smith Holdings Tell Us?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Hill & Smith Holdings doesn't inspire confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 13% over the last five years. However it looks like Hill & Smith Holdings 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's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

Our Take On Hill & Smith Holdings' ROCE

In summary, Hill & Smith Holdings is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. Although the market must be expecting these trends to improve because the stock has gained 69% over the last five years. However, unless these underlying trends turn more positive, we wouldn't get our hopes up too high.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing Hill & Smith Holdings, we've discovered 2 warning signs 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.