We Think Kulicke and Soffa Industries (NASDAQ:KLIC) Might Have The DNA Of A Multi-Bagger

What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Kulicke and Soffa Industries' (NASDAQ:KLIC) look very promising so lets take a look.

What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Kulicke and Soffa Industries, this is the formula:

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

0.25 = US$278m ÷ (US$1.4b - US$308m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2021).

Therefore, Kulicke and Soffa Industries has an ROCE of 25%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Semiconductor industry average of 13%.

View our latest analysis for Kulicke and Soffa Industries

roce

In the above chart we have measured Kulicke and Soffa Industries' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Kulicke and Soffa Industries.

How Are Returns Trending?

Kulicke and Soffa Industries is displaying some positive trends. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 25%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 29%. 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 Kulicke and Soffa Industries' ROCE

A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Kulicke and Soffa Industries has. Since the stock has returned a staggering 292% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

Kulicke and Soffa Industries does have some risks, we noticed 4 warning signs (and 2 which are concerning) we think you should know about.

If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning high returns on equity.

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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