Yahoo Finance The Trends At Greif (NYSE:GEF) That You Should Know About
To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Greif (NYSE:GEF) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Greif, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.093 = US$434m ÷ (US$5.6b - US$915m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2020).
Thus, Greif has an ROCE of 9.3%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Packaging industry average of 9.5%.
See our latest analysis for Greif
In the above chart we have measured Greif's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Greif.
How Are Returns Trending?
The returns on capital haven't changed much for Greif in recent years. The company has employed 72% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 9.3%. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.
Our Take On Greif's ROCE
As we've seen above, Greif's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. Since the stock has gained an impressive 57% over the last five years, investors must think there's better things to come. Ultimately, if the underlying trends persist, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger going forward.
On a final note, we found 2 warning signs for Greif (1 is potentially serious) 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. 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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