Returns On Capital Signal Tricky Times Ahead For Beijing Tricolor Technology (SHSE:603516)

Simply Wall St · 09/28 01:54

What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding 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. In light of that, when we looked at Beijing Tricolor Technology (SHSE:603516) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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 Beijing Tricolor Technology, this is the formula:

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

0.038 = CN¥51m ÷ (CN¥1.5b - CN¥108m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

Thus, Beijing Tricolor Technology has an ROCE of 3.8%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Electronic industry average of 5.4%.

See our latest analysis for Beijing Tricolor Technology

roce
SHSE:603516 Return on Capital Employed September 28th 2024

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Beijing Tricolor Technology 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 analyst report for Beijing Tricolor Technology .

What Can We Tell From Beijing Tricolor Technology's ROCE Trend?

In terms of Beijing Tricolor Technology's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 11%, but since then they've fallen to 3.8%. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

The Bottom Line

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Beijing Tricolor Technology is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. In light of this, the stock has only gained 38% over the last five years. Therefore we'd recommend looking further into this stock to confirm if it has the makings of a good investment.

Beijing Tricolor Technology does come with some risks though, we found 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those shouldn't be ignored...

While Beijing Tricolor Technology 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.