Yahoo Finance Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) Might Be Having Difficulty Using Its Capital Effectively
Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.
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. To calculate this metric for Intuitive Surgical, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.14 = US$1.8b ÷ (US$14b - US$1.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022).
So, Intuitive Surgical has an ROCE of 14%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 8.5% generated by the Medical Equipment industry.
Check out our latest analysis for Intuitive Surgical
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Intuitive Surgical compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Intuitive Surgical here for free.
The Trend Of ROCE
On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Intuitive Surgical doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 23%, but since then they've fallen to 14%. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.
The Bottom Line On Intuitive Surgical's ROCE
While returns have fallen for Intuitive Surgical in recent times, we're encouraged to see that sales are growing and that the business is reinvesting in its operations. And long term investors must be optimistic going forward because the stock has returned a huge 126% to shareholders in the last five years. So while the underlying trends could already be accounted for by investors, we still think this stock is worth looking into further.
On a separate note, we've found 1 warning sign for Intuitive Surgical you'll probably want to know about.
While Intuitive Surgical 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.
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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.
