There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Severn Trent (LON:SVT) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. The formula for this calculation on Severn Trent is:

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

0.04 = UK£580m ÷ (UK£16b - UK£1.4b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025).

Therefore, Severn Trent has an ROCE of 4.0%. On its own that's a low return, but compared to the average of 3.0% generated by the Water Utilities industry, it's much better.

View our latest analysis for Severn Trent LSE:SVT Return on Capital Employed July 1st 2025

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Severn Trent compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Severn Trent  for free.

So How Is Severn Trent's ROCE Trending?

In terms of Severn Trent's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 4.0% from 5.7% five years ago. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

The Bottom Line On Severn Trent's ROCE

In summary, Severn Trent is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 36% to shareholders over the last five years. Therefore, if you're looking for a multi-bagger, we'd propose looking at other options.

Story Continues

Severn Trent does have some risks though, and we've spotted  2 warning signs for Severn Trent that you might be interested in.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this freelist of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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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.

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