Return Trends At Vontier (NYSE:VNT) Aren't Appealing

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. So when we looked at Vontier (NYSE:VNT), they do have a high ROCE, but we weren't exactly elated from how returns are trending.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Vontier:

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

0.24 = US$615m ÷ (US$3.3b - US$779m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2021).

So, Vontier has an ROCE of 24%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Electronic industry average of 10%.

View our latest analysis for Vontier

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Vontier compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Vontier here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Vontier Tell Us?

There hasn't been much to report for Vontier's returns and its level of capital employed because both metrics have been steady for the past three years. It's not uncommon to see this when looking at a mature and stable business that isn't re-investing its earnings because it has likely passed that phase of the business cycle. Although current returns are high, we'd need more evidence of underlying growth for it to look like a multi-bagger going forward.

The Bottom Line

In summary, Vontier isn't compounding its earnings but is generating decent returns on the same amount of capital employed. And investors may be recognizing these trends since the stock has only returned a total of 1.4% to shareholders over the last year. Therefore, if you're looking for a multi-bagger, we'd propose looking at other options.

One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Vontier that you might find interesting.

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.

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.

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