Return Trends At Anglo Asian Mining (LON:AAZ) Aren't Appealing

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? 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. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. However, after investigating Anglo Asian Mining (LON:AAZ), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

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

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Anglo Asian Mining, this is the formula:

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

0.077 = US$12m ÷ (US$189m - US$31m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

Therefore, Anglo Asian Mining has an ROCE of 7.7%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Metals and Mining industry average of 14%.

Check out our latest analysis for Anglo Asian Mining

roce

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you're interested in investigating Anglo Asian Mining's past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What Can We Tell From Anglo Asian Mining's ROCE Trend?

There are better returns on capital out there than what we're seeing at Anglo Asian Mining. The company has employed 32% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 7.7%. Given the company has increased the amount of capital employed, it appears the investments that have been made simply don't provide a high return on capital.

One more thing to note, even though ROCE has remained relatively flat over the last five years, the reduction in current liabilities to 17% of total assets, is good to see from a business owner's perspective. Effectively suppliers now fund less of the business, which can lower some elements of risk.

In Conclusion...

Long story short, while Anglo Asian Mining has been reinvesting its capital, the returns that it's generating haven't increased. Yet to long term shareholders the stock has gifted them an incredible 433% return in the last five years, so the market appears to be rosy about its future. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high.

Like most companies, Anglo Asian Mining does come with some risks, and we've found 2 warning signs that you should be aware of.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.

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