Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. Ergo, when we looked at the ROCE trends at Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ:STLD), we liked what we saw.

What Is 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. To calculate this metric for Steel Dynamics, this is the formula:

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

0.26 = US$3.4b ÷ (US$15b - US$1.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Thus, Steel Dynamics has an ROCE of 26%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 9.7% earned by companies in a similar industry.

View our latest analysis for Steel Dynamics

In the above chart we have measured Steel Dynamics' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Steel Dynamics.

The Trend Of ROCE

We'd be pretty happy with returns on capital like Steel Dynamics. The company has employed 93% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 26%. Now considering ROCE is an attractive 26%, this combination is actually pretty appealing because it means the business can consistently put money to work and generate these high returns. You'll see this when looking at well operated businesses or favorable business models.

The Bottom Line

In short, we'd argue Steel Dynamics has the makings of a multi-bagger since its been able to compound its capital at very profitable rates of return. On top of that, the stock has rewarded shareholders with a remarkable 355% return to those who've held over the last five years. So while the positive underlying trends may be accounted for by investors, we still think this stock is worth looking into further.

If you'd like to know more about Steel Dynamics, we've spotted 2 warning signs, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored.

If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets 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.