Yahoo Finance Codan (ASX:CDA): Are Investors Overlooking Returns On Capital?
What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, 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 Codan's (ASX:CDA) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
What is 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 Codan, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.35 = AU$98m ÷ (AU$352m - AU$71m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).
So, Codan has an ROCE of 35%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Electronic industry average of 16%.
View our latest analysis for Codan
In the above chart we have measured Codan's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
The Trend Of ROCE
Codan is displaying some positive trends. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 35%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 59%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Codan thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
What We Can Learn From Codan's ROCE
A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Codan has. Since the stock has returned a staggering 1,665% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.
If you'd like to know about the risks facing Codan, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.
If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning high returns on equity.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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