Yahoo Finance Waste Management (NYSE:WM) Hasn't Managed To Accelerate Its Returns
To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding 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 ran our eye over Waste Management's (NYSE:WM) trend of ROCE, we 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 Waste Management, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.13 = US$3.8b ÷ (US$33b - US$4.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
Therefore, Waste Management has an ROCE of 13%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Commercial Services industry average of 10% it's much better.
View our latest analysis for Waste Management
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Waste Management 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 analyst report for Waste Management .
What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us
While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has employed 46% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 13%. 13% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Waste Management has consistently earned this amount. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns.
Our Take On Waste Management's ROCE
To sum it up, Waste Management has simply been reinvesting capital steadily, at those decent rates of return. And long term investors would be thrilled with the 112% return they've received over the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we still believe the stock deserves further research.
On a separate note, we've found 2 warning signs for Waste Management you'll probably want to know about.
If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive 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.
