Yahoo Finance Pujiang International Group Limited (HKG:2060) Is Employing Capital Very Effectively
Today we'll evaluate Pujiang International Group Limited (HKG:2060) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. Specifically, we're going to calculate its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), in the hopes of getting some insight into the business.
First up, we'll look at what ROCE is and how we calculate it. Then we'll compare its ROCE to similar companies. Last but not least, we'll look at what impact its current liabilities have on its ROCE.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike.'
How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?
Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
Or for Pujiang International Group:
0.18 = CN¥226m ÷ (CN¥2.5b - CN¥1.3b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)
So, Pujiang International Group has an ROCE of 18%.
Check out our latest analysis for Pujiang International Group
Does Pujiang International Group Have A Good ROCE?
One way to assess ROCE is to compare similar companies. Using our data, we find that Pujiang International Group's ROCE is meaningfully better than the 11% average in the Machinery industry. We would consider this a positive, as it suggests it is using capital more effectively than other similar companies. Separate from Pujiang International Group's performance relative to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms looks satisfactory, and it may be worth researching in more depth.
Our data shows that Pujiang International Group currently has an ROCE of 18%, compared to its ROCE of 12% 3 years ago. This makes us wonder if the company is improving. You can see in the image below how Pujiang International Group's ROCE compares to its industry. Click to see more on past growth.
When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
Do Pujiang International Group's Current Liabilities Skew Its ROCE?
Short term (or current) liabilities, are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets.
Pujiang International Group has total assets of CN¥2.5b and current liabilities of CN¥1.3b. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 51% of its total assets. Pujiang International Group's current liabilities are fairly high, which increases its ROCE significantly.
The Bottom Line On Pujiang International Group's ROCE
This ROCE is pretty good, but remember that it would look less impressive with fewer current liabilities. Pujiang International Group looks strong on this analysis, but there are plenty of other companies that could be a good opportunity . Here is a free list of companies growing earnings rapidly.
I will like Pujiang International Group better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
