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. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after investigating Speedy Hire (LON:SDY), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

Understanding 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Speedy Hire:

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

0.075 = UK£29m ÷ (UK£515m - UK£132m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2022).

Therefore, Speedy Hire has an ROCE of 7.5%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Trade Distributors industry average of 14%.

Check out our latest analysis for Speedy Hire  roce

In the above chart we have measured Speedy Hire's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Speedy Hire here  for free.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

The returns on capital haven't changed much for Speedy Hire in recent years. The company has consistently earned 7.5% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 45% in that time. 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 Key Takeaway

In summary, Speedy Hire has simply been reinvesting capital and generating the same low rate of return as before. And investors appear hesitant that the trends will pick up because the stock has fallen 35% in the last five years. In any case, the stock doesn't have these traits of a multi-bagger discussed above, so if that's what you're looking for, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.



One more thing, we've spotted  1 warning sign  facing Speedy Hire that you might find interesting.

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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