A Close Look At B & S International Holdings Ltd.’s (HKG:1705) 14% ROCE
Today we'll evaluate B & S International Holdings Ltd. (HKG:1705) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. In particular, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), as that can give us insight into how profitably the company is able to employ capital in its business.
First up, we'll look at what ROCE is and how we calculate it. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Finally, we'll look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
ROCE measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Generally speaking a higher ROCE is better. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that 'one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar'.
How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?
The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
Or for B & S International Holdings:
0.14 = HK$21m ÷ (HK$252m - HK$108m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.)
So, B & S International Holdings has an ROCE of 14%.
Check out our latest analysis for B & S International Holdings
Is B & S International Holdings's ROCE Good?
ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. B & S International Holdings's ROCE appears to be substantially greater than the 10% average in the Consumer Retailing industry. We would consider this a positive, as it suggests it is using capital more effectively than other similar companies. Separate from B & S International Holdings's performance relative to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms looks satisfactory, and it may be worth researching in more depth.
B & S International Holdings's current ROCE of 14% is lower than its ROCE in the past, which was 52%, 3 years ago. Therefore we wonder if the company is facing new headwinds. You can see in the image below how B & S International Holdings's ROCE compares to its industry. Click to see more on past growth.
It is important to remember that ROCE shows past performance, and is not necessarily predictive. ROCE can be deceptive for cyclical businesses, as returns can look incredible in boom times, and terribly low in downturns. ROCE is, after all, simply a snap shot of a single year. How cyclical is B & S International Holdings? You can see for yourself by looking at this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
Do B & S International Holdings's Current Liabilities Skew Its ROCE?
Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets.
B & S International Holdings has total liabilities of HK$108m and total assets of HK$252m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 43% of its total assets. B & S International Holdings has a middling amount of current liabilities, increasing its ROCE somewhat.
What We Can Learn From B & S International Holdings's ROCE
With a decent ROCE, the company could be interesting, but remember that the level of current liabilities make the ROCE look better. B & S International Holdings shapes up well under this analysis, but it is far from the only business delivering excellent numbers . You might also want to check this free collection of companies delivering excellent earnings growth.
If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
