Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) Has More To Do To Multiply In Value Going Forward
If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. So when we looked at Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW), they do have a high ROCE, but we weren't exactly elated from how returns are trending.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Illinois Tool Works:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.23 = US$3.0b ÷ (US$16b - US$2.7b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2021).
Thus, Illinois Tool Works has an ROCE of 23%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 9.1% earned by companies in a similar industry.
View our latest analysis for Illinois Tool Works
In the above chart we have measured Illinois Tool Works' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
How Are Returns Trending?
Things have been pretty stable at Illinois Tool Works, with its capital employed and returns on that capital staying somewhat the same for the last five years. This tells us the company isn't reinvesting in itself, so it's plausible that it's past the growth phase. So it may not be a multi-bagger in the making, but given the decent 23% return on capital, it'd be difficult to find fault with the business's current operations. This probably explains why Illinois Tool Works is paying out 50% of its income to shareholders in the form of dividends. Unless businesses have highly compelling growth opportunities, they'll typically return some money to shareholders.
In Conclusion...
While Illinois Tool Works has impressive profitability from its capital, it isn't increasing that amount of capital. Investors must think there's better things to come because the stock has knocked it out of the park, delivering a 154% gain to shareholders who have held over the last five years. But if the trajectory of these underlying trends continue, we think the likelihood of it being a multi-bagger from here isn't high.
Like most companies, Illinois Tool Works does come with some risks, and we've found 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.
If you'd like to see other companies earning high returns, check out our free list of companies earning high returns with solid balance sheets 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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
