If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Shanghai Bailian (Group) (SHSE:600827) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

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. To calculate this metric for Shanghai Bailian (Group), this is the formula:

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

0.02 = CN¥653m ÷ (CN¥57b - CN¥25b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Shanghai Bailian (Group) has an ROCE of 2.0%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Consumer Retailing industry average of 7.0%.

See our latest analysis for Shanghai Bailian (Group)

In the above chart we have measured Shanghai Bailian (Group)'s prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Shanghai Bailian (Group).

The Trend Of ROCE

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Shanghai Bailian (Group), we didn't gain much confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 4.1% over the last five years. Meanwhile, the business is utilizing more capital but this hasn't moved the needle much in terms of sales in the past 12 months, so this could reflect longer term investments. 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.

Another thing to note, Shanghai Bailian (Group) has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 44%. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. Ideally we'd like to see this reduce as that would mean fewer obligations bearing risks.

The Bottom Line On Shanghai Bailian (Group)'s ROCE

To conclude, we've found that Shanghai Bailian (Group) is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 9.9% to shareholders over the last five years. So if you're looking for a multi-bagger, the underlying trends indicate you may have better chances elsewhere.

On a final note, we found 3 warning signs for Shanghai Bailian (Group) (1 is concerning) you should be aware of.

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