What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Bumble's (NASDAQ:BMBL) returns on capital, so let's have a look.

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. To calculate this metric for Bumble, this is the formula:

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

0.0072 = US$24m ÷ (US$3.6b - US$245m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

Thus, Bumble has an ROCE of 0.7%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Interactive Media and Services industry average of 7.1%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Bumble compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free analyst report for Bumble .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

The fact that Bumble is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 0.7% which is a sight for sore eyes. In addition to that, Bumble is employing 8,583% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can tell us that the company has plenty of reinvestment opportunities that are able to generate higher returns.

One more thing to note, Bumble has decreased current liabilities to 6.8% of total assets over this period, which effectively reduces the amount of funding from suppliers or short-term creditors. Therefore we can rest assured that the growth in ROCE is a result of the business' fundamental improvements, rather than a cooking class featuring this company's books.

Our Take On Bumble's ROCE

Overall, Bumble gets a big tick from us thanks in most part to the fact that it is now profitable and is reinvesting in its business. However the stock is down a substantial 82% in the last three years so there could be other areas of the business hurting its prospects. In any case, we believe the economic trends of this company are positive and looking into the stock further could prove rewarding.

Before jumping to any conclusions though, we need to know what value we're getting for the current share price. That's where you can check out our FREE intrinsic value estimation for BMBL that compares the share price and estimated value.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.