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'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Stepan (NYSE:SCL) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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. The formula for this calculation on Stepan is:

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

0.041 = US$73m ÷ (US$2.4b - US$608m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

Thus, Stepan has an ROCE of 4.1%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Chemicals industry average of 9.9%.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Stepan 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 Stepan .

So How Is Stepan's ROCE Trending?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Stepan doesn't inspire confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 13%, but since then they've fallen to 4.1%. Given the business is employing more capital while revenue has slipped, this is a bit concerning. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

The Bottom Line On Stepan's ROCE

We're a bit apprehensive about Stepan because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. In spite of that, the stock has delivered a 5.9% return to shareholders who held over the last five years. Regardless, we don't like the trends as they are and if they persist, we think you might find better investments elsewhere.

One more thing, we've spotted 4 warning signs facing Stepan that you might find interesting.

While Stepan 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.