There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount 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. In light of that, when we looked at Shandong Shuangyi Technology (SZSE:300690) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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

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 Shandong Shuangyi Technology is:

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

0.074 = CN¥105m ÷ (CN¥1.7b - CN¥296m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Thus, Shandong Shuangyi Technology has an ROCE of 7.4%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 6.4% average generated by the Machinery industry.

View our latest analysis for Shandong Shuangyi Technology

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Shandong Shuangyi Technology 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 Shandong Shuangyi Technology.

So How Is Shandong Shuangyi Technology's ROCE Trending?

In terms of Shandong Shuangyi Technology's historical ROCE trend, it doesn't exactly demand attention. The company has employed 52% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 7.4%. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.

The Key Takeaway

Long story short, while Shandong Shuangyi Technology has been reinvesting its capital, the returns that it's generating haven't increased. Although the market must be expecting these trends to improve because the stock has gained 67% over the last five years. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high.

If you'd like to know more about Shandong Shuangyi Technology, we've spotted 2 warning signs, and 1 of them is significant.

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.