If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So, when we ran our eye over China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute's (SHSE:688128) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw.

What Is 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute:

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

0.15 = CN¥453m ÷ (CN¥7.2b - CN¥4.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute has an ROCE of 15%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 6.3% generated by the Electrical industry.

See our latest analysis for China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute

In the above chart we have measured China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute Tell Us?

The trend of ROCE doesn't stand out much, but returns on a whole are decent. The company has consistently earned 15% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 168% in that time. 15% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute has consistently earned this amount. Stable returns in this ballpark can be unexciting, but if they can be maintained over the long run, they often provide nice rewards to shareholders.

On a separate but related note, it's important to know that China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute has a current liabilities to total assets ratio of 58%, which we'd consider pretty high. This effectively means that suppliers (or short-term creditors) are funding a large portion of the business, so just be aware that this can introduce some elements of risk. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

What We Can Learn From China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute's ROCE

In the end, China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute has proven its ability to adequately reinvest capital at good rates of return. However, over the last three years, the stock has only delivered a 22% return to shareholders who held over that period. So because of the trends we're seeing, we'd recommend looking further into this stock to see if it has the makings of a multi-bagger.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with China National Electric Apparatus Research Institute and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

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.