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Macy's (NYSE:M) Has More To Do To Multiply In Value Going Forward
There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, 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 Macy's (NYSE:M) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.
Understanding 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Macy's:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.099 = US$1.2b ÷ (US$16b - US$4.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2023).
Thus, Macy's has an ROCE of 9.9%. On its own that's a low return on capital but it's in line with the industry's average returns of 10%.
Check out our latest analysis for Macy's
In the above chart we have measured Macy's' 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.
The Trend Of ROCE
Things have been pretty stable at Macy's, 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 unless we see a substantial change at Macy's in terms of ROCE and additional investments being made, we wouldn't hold our breath on it being a multi-bagger.
What We Can Learn From Macy's' ROCE
We can conclude that in regards to Macy's' returns on capital employed and the trends, there isn't much change to report on. And in the last five years, the stock has given away 57% so the market doesn't look too hopeful on these trends strengthening any time soon. Therefore based on the analysis done in this article, we don't think Macy's has the makings of a multi-bagger.
One more thing to note, we've identified 3 warning signs with Macy's and understanding these should be part of your investment process.
While Macy's isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.
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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.
