Yahoo Finance Investors Will Want Austal's (ASX:ASB) Growth In ROCE To Persist
If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to 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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. So on that note, Austal (ASX:ASB) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.
What is 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Austal:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.10 = AU$107m ÷ (AU$1.4b - AU$398m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2021).
Thus, Austal has an ROCE of 10%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 8.3% generated by the Aerospace & Defense industry.
Check out our latest analysis for Austal
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Austal 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 Austal.
So How Is Austal's ROCE Trending?
Austal has recently broken into profitability so their prior investments seem to be paying off. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 10% which is a sight for sore eyes. And unsurprisingly, like most companies trying to break into the black, Austal is utilizing 49% more capital than it was five years ago. This can tell us that the company has plenty of reinvestment opportunities that are able to generate higher returns.
The Bottom Line
In summary, it's great to see that Austal has managed to break into profitability and is continuing to reinvest in its business. And with a respectable 42% awarded to those who held the stock over the last five years, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
On a final note, we found 3 warning signs for Austal (1 is significant) 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.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
