Is Monte Carlo Fashions Limited’s (NSE:MONTECARLO) 15% ROCE Any Good?
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Today we'll evaluate Monte Carlo Fashions Limited (NSE:MONTECARLO) 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. Then we'll compare its ROCE to similar companies. Then we'll determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE.
What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
ROCE measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. 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'.
So, How Do We Calculate ROCE?
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 Monte Carlo Fashions:
0.15 = ₹792m ÷ (₹7.9b - ₹2.7b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.)
So, Monte Carlo Fashions has an ROCE of 15%.
Check out our latest analysis for Monte Carlo Fashions
Does Monte Carlo Fashions Have A Good ROCE?
One way to assess ROCE is to compare similar companies. Using our data, we find that Monte Carlo Fashions's ROCE is meaningfully better than the 12% average in the Luxury industry. We would consider this a positive, as it suggests it is using capital more effectively than other similar companies. Setting aside the industry comparison for now, Monte Carlo Fashions's ROCE is mediocre in absolute terms, considering the risk of investing in stocks versus the safety of a bank account. Readers may find more attractive investment prospects elsewhere.
The image below shows how Monte Carlo Fashions's ROCE compares to its industry, and you can click it to see more detail on its past growth.
When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. How cyclical is Monte Carlo Fashions? You can see for yourself by looking at this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
How Monte Carlo Fashions's Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE
Liabilities, such as supplier bills and bank overdrafts, are referred to as current liabilities if they need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets.
Monte Carlo Fashions has total liabilities of ₹2.7b and total assets of ₹7.9b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 35% of its total assets. Monte Carlo Fashions's ROCE is improved somewhat by its moderate amount of current liabilities.
The Bottom Line On Monte Carlo Fashions's ROCE
Unfortunately, its ROCE is still uninspiring, and there are potentially more attractive prospects out there. Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Monte Carlo Fashions. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.
I will like Monte Carlo Fashions better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.
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.
