What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Miliboo Société anonyme (EPA:ALMLB) so let's look a bit deeper.
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. The formula for this calculation on Miliboo Société anonyme is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.16 = €1.6m ÷ (€19m - €8.8m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2023).
So, Miliboo Société anonyme has an ROCE of 16%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Consumer Durables industry average of 13% it's much better.
See our latest analysis for Miliboo Société anonyme
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Miliboo Société anonyme 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 Miliboo Société anonyme .
Miliboo Société anonyme 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 16% which is a sight for sore eyes. In addition to that, Miliboo Société anonyme is employing 114% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.
On a side note, Miliboo Société anonyme's current liabilities are still rather high at 47% of total assets. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. Ideally we'd like to see this reduce as that would mean fewer obligations bearing risks.
To the delight of most shareholders, Miliboo Société anonyme has now broken into profitability. Given the stock has declined 17% in the last five years, this could be a good investment if the valuation and other metrics are also appealing. So researching this company further and determining whether or not these trends will continue seems justified.
On a final note, we've found 3 warning signs for Miliboo Société anonyme that we think you should be aware of.
While Miliboo Société anonyme 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.
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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.