Should We Be Excited About The Trends Of Returns At Barnes Group (NYSE:B)?
What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Barnes Group (NYSE:B) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.
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. The formula for this calculation on Barnes Group is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.077 = US$176m ÷ (US$2.6b - US$317m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).
So, Barnes Group has an ROCE of 7.7%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Machinery industry average of 10%.
Check out our latest analysis for Barnes Group
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Barnes Group 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 report for Barnes Group.
What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us
When we looked at the ROCE trend at Barnes Group, we didn't gain much confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 10% over the last five years. Given the business is employing more capital while revenue has slipped, this is a bit concerning. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.
Our Take On Barnes Group's ROCE
In summary, we're somewhat concerned by Barnes Group's diminishing returns on increasing amounts of capital. Yet despite these concerning fundamentals, the stock has performed strongly with a 52% return over the last five years, so investors appear very optimistic. In any case, the current underlying trends don't bode well for long term performance so unless they reverse, we'd start looking elsewhere.
Like most companies, Barnes Group does come with some risks, and we've found 4 warning signs that you should be aware of.
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.
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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