Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,491.50
    -7.20 (-0.08%)
     
  • ASX 200

    8,214.50
    -8.50 (-0.10%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6753
    +0.0010 (+0.14%)
     
  • OIL

    75.49
    -0.36 (-0.47%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,674.20
    +34.90 (+1.32%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    93,472.55
    +111.30 (+0.12%)
     
  • XRP AUD

    0.80
    -0.00 (-0.42%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6170
    +0.0011 (+0.18%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.1044
    -0.0010 (-0.09%)
     
  • NZX 50

    12,845.64
    +91.06 (+0.71%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    20,271.97
    +30.21 (+0.15%)
     
  • FTSE

    8,253.65
    +15.92 (+0.19%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    42,863.86
    +409.74 (+0.97%)
     
  • DAX

    19,373.83
    +162.93 (+0.85%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    21,251.98
    +614.74 (+2.98%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    39,605.80
    +224.91 (+0.57%)
     

Returns At Sierra Rutile Holdings (ASX:SRX) Are On The Way Up

If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. So when we looked at Sierra Rutile Holdings (ASX:SRX) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Sierra Rutile Holdings, this is the formula:

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

0.12 = US$22m ÷ (US$226m - US$41m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).

Thus, Sierra Rutile Holdings has an ROCE of 12%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Metals and Mining industry average of 8.9% it's much better.

See our latest analysis for Sierra Rutile Holdings

roce
ASX:SRX Return on Capital Employed January 17th 2024

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Sierra Rutile Holdings 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 Sierra Rutile Holdings here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Sierra Rutile Holdings Tell Us?

We're delighted to see that Sierra Rutile Holdings is reaping rewards from its investments and has now broken into profitability. While the business was unprofitable in the past, it's now turned things around and is earning 12% on its capital. While returns have increased, the amount of capital employed by Sierra Rutile Holdings has remained flat over the period. So while we're happy that the business is more efficient, just keep in mind that could mean that going forward the business is lacking areas to invest internally for growth. So if you're looking for high growth, you'll want to see a business's capital employed also increasing.

In Conclusion...

To bring it all together, Sierra Rutile Holdings has done well to increase the returns it's generating from its capital employed. Given the stock has declined 35% in the last year, this could be a good investment if the valuation and other metrics are also appealing. With that in mind, we believe the promising trends warrant this stock for further investigation.

Sierra Rutile Holdings does come with some risks though, we found 4 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those are potentially serious...

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.

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.