There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. 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 Giga Device Semiconductor (SHSE:603986), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

Understanding 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. The formula for this calculation on Giga Device Semiconductor is:

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

0.0068 = CN¥105m ÷ (CN¥17b - CN¥1.5b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

Thus, Giga Device Semiconductor has an ROCE of 0.7%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Semiconductor industry average of 4.1%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Giga Device Semiconductor 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 analyst report for Giga Device Semiconductor .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

In terms of Giga Device Semiconductor's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 13%, but since then they've fallen to 0.7%. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

The Key Takeaway

From the above analysis, we find it rather worrisome that returns on capital and sales for Giga Device Semiconductor have fallen, meanwhile the business is employing more capital than it was five years ago. Yet despite these concerning fundamentals, the stock has performed strongly with a 95% return over the last five years, so investors appear very optimistic. Regardless, we don't feel too comfortable with the fundamentals so we'd be steering clear of this stock for now.

One more thing, we've spotted 2 warning signs facing Giga Device Semiconductor that you might find interesting.

While Giga Device Semiconductor may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.

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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.