To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Although, when we looked at Advance ZincTek (ASX:ANO), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Advance ZincTek:

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

0.026 = AU$940k ÷ (AU$37m - AU$935k) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2021).

So, Advance ZincTek has an ROCE of 2.6%.  In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Chemicals industry average of 5.5%.

See our latest analysis for Advance ZincTek  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 want to delve into the historical earnings, revenue and cash flow of Advance ZincTek, check out these freegraphs here.

What Can We Tell From Advance ZincTek's ROCE Trend?

There are better returns on capital out there than what we're seeing at Advance ZincTek. The company has employed 663% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 2.6%. 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.

The Bottom Line On Advance ZincTek's ROCE

As we've seen above, Advance ZincTek's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. Yet to long term shareholders the stock has gifted them an incredible 542% return in the last five years, so the market appears to be rosy about its future. Ultimately, if the underlying trends persist, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger going forward.



If you'd like to know about the risks facing Advance ZincTek, we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should be aware of.

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this freelist of companies with solid balance sheets and high 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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