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. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Lantheus Holdings' (NASDAQ:LNTH) look very promising so lets take a look.
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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Lantheus Holdings:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.27 = US$456m ÷ (US$1.9b - US$263m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).
Thus, Lantheus Holdings has an ROCE of 27%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Medical Equipment industry average of 9.2%.
View our latest analysis for Lantheus Holdings
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Lantheus Holdings 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 Lantheus Holdings .
The trends we've noticed at Lantheus Holdings are quite reassuring. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 27%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 398% more capital is being employed now too. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Lantheus Holdings thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
To sum it up, Lantheus Holdings has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.
One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Lantheus Holdings and understanding this 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.
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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.