The Returns On Capital At DISH Network (NASDAQ:DISH) Don't Inspire Confidence

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after investigating DISH Network (NASDAQ:DISH), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for DISH Network, this is the formula:

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

0.044 = US$2.0b ÷ (US$53b - US$6.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

So, DISH Network has an ROCE of 4.4%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Media industry average of 9.4%.

See our latest analysis for DISH Network

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for DISH Network compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for DISH Network.

So How Is DISH Network's ROCE Trending?

In terms of DISH Network's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 4.4% from 8.1% five years ago. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

Our Take On DISH Network's ROCE

To conclude, we've found that DISH Network is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. Moreover, since the stock has crumbled 75% over the last five years, it appears investors are expecting the worst. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere.

One more thing to note, we've identified 3 warning signs with DISH Network and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

While DISH Network may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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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