The Returns At Kingboard Holdings (HKG:148) Aren't Growing

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount 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. Having said that, from a first glance at Kingboard Holdings (HKG:148) we aren't jumping out of our chairs at how returns are trending, but let's have a deeper look.

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 Kingboard Holdings:

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

0.065 = HK$5.1b ÷ (HK$98b - HK$20b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024).

Thus, Kingboard Holdings has an ROCE of 6.5%. On its own that's a low return on capital but it's in line with the industry's average returns of 6.4%.

Check out our latest analysis for Kingboard Holdings

In the above chart we have measured Kingboard Holdings' 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 analyst report for Kingboard Holdings .

The Trend Of ROCE

There hasn't been much to report for Kingboard Holdings' returns and its level of capital employed because both metrics have been steady for the past five years. This tells us the company isn't reinvesting in itself, so it's plausible that it's past the growth phase. With that in mind, unless investment picks up again in the future, we wouldn't expect Kingboard Holdings to be a multi-bagger going forward.

The Key Takeaway

In a nutshell, Kingboard Holdings has been trudging along with the same returns from the same amount of capital over the last five years. Since the stock has gained an impressive 58% over the last five years, investors must think there's better things to come. Ultimately, if the underlying trends persist, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger going forward.

One final note, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Kingboard Holdings (including 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) .

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.

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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.