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. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount 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. So when we looked at Duckhorn Portfolio (NYSE:NAPA) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Duckhorn Portfolio, this is the formula:

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

0.073 = US$88m ÷ (US$1.3b - US$150m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2022).

So, Duckhorn Portfolio has an ROCE of 7.3%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Beverage industry average of 14%.

View our latest analysis for Duckhorn Portfolio

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Duckhorn Portfolio 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 report for Duckhorn Portfolio.

The Trend Of ROCE

Duckhorn Portfolio has not disappointed with their ROCE growth. More specifically, while the company has kept capital employed relatively flat over the last three years, the ROCE has climbed 23% in that same time. Basically the business is generating higher returns from the same amount of capital and that is proof that there are improvements in the company's efficiencies. The company is doing well in that sense, and it's worth investigating what the management team has planned for long term growth prospects.

In Conclusion...

As discussed above, Duckhorn Portfolio appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. Given the stock has declined 18% in the last year, 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.

While Duckhorn Portfolio looks impressive, no company is worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether NAPA is currently trading for a fair price.

While Duckhorn Portfolio isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.