Can Coca-Cola Consolidated (NASDAQ:COKE) Continue To Grow Its Returns On Capital?
If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out 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. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Coca-Cola Consolidated's (NASDAQ:COKE) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
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 Coca-Cola Consolidated, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.12 = US$314m ÷ (US$3.2b - US$647m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2020).
Therefore, Coca-Cola Consolidated has an ROCE of 12%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 14% generated by the Beverage industry.
View our latest analysis for Coca-Cola Consolidated
While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you're interested in investigating Coca-Cola Consolidated's past further, check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
The Trend Of ROCE
We like the trends that we're seeing from Coca-Cola Consolidated. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 12%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 70%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.
The Key Takeaway
All in all, it's terrific to see that Coca-Cola Consolidated is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And with a respectable 46% awarded to those who held the stock over the last five years, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.
One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Coca-Cola Consolidated that you might find interesting.
While Coca-Cola Consolidated may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.
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. 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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