Yahoo Finance Investors Shouldn't Overlook Applied Materials' (NASDAQ:AMAT) Impressive Returns On Capital
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. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. With that in mind, the ROCE of Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) looks great, so lets see what the trend can tell us.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Applied Materials is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.41 = US$7.8b ÷ (US$26b - US$6.8b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2022).
Therefore, Applied Materials has an ROCE of 41%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 15% earned by companies in a similar industry.
See our latest analysis for Applied Materials
In the above chart we have measured Applied Materials' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
How Are Returns Trending?
We like the trends that we're seeing from Applied Materials. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 41%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 31%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Applied Materials thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
Our Take On Applied Materials' ROCE
To sum it up, Applied Materials has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. Since the stock has returned a solid 79% to shareholders over the last five years, it's fair to say investors are beginning to recognize these changes. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if Applied Materials can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.
One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Applied Materials and understanding it should be part of your investment process.
If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets here.
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.
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