If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So when we looked at Citic Pacific Special Steel Group (SZSE:000708) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

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. The formula for this calculation on Citic Pacific Special Steel Group is:

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

0.18 = CN¥9.4b ÷ (CN¥91b - CN¥39b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2022).

So, Citic Pacific Special Steel Group has an ROCE of 18%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Metals and Mining industry average of 8.2% it's much better.

See our latest analysis for Citic Pacific Special Steel Group

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Citic Pacific Special Steel Group 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 Citic Pacific Special Steel Group.

How Are Returns Trending?

Citic Pacific Special Steel Group is displaying some positive trends. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 18%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 1,188%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

Another thing to note, Citic Pacific Special Steel Group has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 43%. 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.

In Conclusion...

A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Citic Pacific Special Steel Group has. And a remarkable 214% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if Citic Pacific Special Steel Group can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.

If you'd like to know about the risks facing Citic Pacific Special Steel Group, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.

While Citic Pacific Special Steel Group 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.