Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? 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. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Integral Ad Science Holding's (NASDAQ:IAS) returns on capital, so let's have a look.

Understanding 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 Integral Ad Science Holding:

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

0.016 = US$18m ÷ (US$1.2b - US$82m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, Integral Ad Science Holding has an ROCE of 1.6%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Media industry average of 8.3%.

In the above chart we have measured Integral Ad Science Holding'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 Integral Ad Science Holding for free.

So How Is Integral Ad Science Holding's ROCE Trending?

The fact that Integral Ad Science Holding is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. About four years ago the company was generating losses but things have turned around because it's now earning 1.6% on its capital. Not only that, but the company is utilizing 31% more capital than before, but that's to be expected from a company trying to break into profitability. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.

The Bottom Line

In summary, it's great to see that Integral Ad Science Holding has managed to break into profitability and is continuing to reinvest in its business. And since the stock has fallen 32% over the last year, there might be an opportunity here. With that in mind, we believe the promising trends warrant this stock for further investigation.

One more thing to note, we've identified 4 warning signs with Integral Ad Science Holding and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

While Integral Ad Science Holding 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.