Yahoo Finance Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) Is Doing The Right Things To Multiply Its Share Price
If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, 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. So on that note, Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.
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. The formula for this calculation on Korn Ferry is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.15 = US$352m ÷ (US$3.1b - US$697m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2021).
Therefore, Korn Ferry has an ROCE of 15%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 11% generated by the Professional Services industry.
View our latest analysis for Korn Ferry
In the above chart we have measured Korn Ferry'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 Korn Ferry here for free.
How Are Returns Trending?
Investors would be pleased with what's happening at Korn Ferry. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 15%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 53% more capital is being employed now too. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.
The Bottom Line On Korn Ferry's ROCE
All in all, it's terrific to see that Korn Ferry is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And a remarkable 168% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. 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.
Korn Ferry does have some risks though, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Korn Ferry that you might be interested in.
If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.
