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. 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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. Although, when we looked at Moon Environment TechnologyLtd (SZSE:000811), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Moon Environment TechnologyLtd:

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

0.071 = CN¥420m ÷ (CN¥11b - CN¥5.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Moon Environment TechnologyLtd has an ROCE of 7.1%. 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 Moon Environment TechnologyLtd

In the above chart we have measured Moon Environment TechnologyLtd's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Moon Environment TechnologyLtd Tell Us?

There are better returns on capital out there than what we're seeing at Moon Environment TechnologyLtd. The company has employed 81% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 7.1%. Given the company has increased the amount of capital employed, it appears the investments that have been made simply don't provide a high return on capital.

On a separate but related note, it's important to know that Moon Environment TechnologyLtd has a current liabilities to total assets ratio of 46%, which we'd consider pretty high. 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. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

Our Take On Moon Environment TechnologyLtd's ROCE

As we've seen above, Moon Environment TechnologyLtd's returns on capital haven't increased but it is reinvesting in the business. Yet to long term shareholders the stock has gifted them an incredible 208% return in the last five years, so the market appears to be rosy about its future. Ultimately, if the underlying trends persist, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger going forward.

On a final note, we've found 2 warning signs for Moon Environment TechnologyLtd that we think you should be aware of.

While Moon Environment TechnologyLtd 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.