Can Navios Maritime Containers (NASDAQ:NMCI) Turn Things Around?
Ignoring the stock price of a company, what are the underlying trends that tell us a business is past the growth phase? Typically, we'll see the trend of both return on capital employed (ROCE) declining and this usually coincides with a decreasing amount of capital employed. Basically the company is earning less on its investments and it is also reducing its total assets. Having said that, after a brief look, Navios Maritime Containers (NASDAQ:NMCI) we aren't filled with optimism, but let's investigate further.
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. To calculate this metric for Navios Maritime Containers, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.056 = US$22m ÷ (US$435m - US$37m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).
Thus, Navios Maritime Containers has an ROCE of 5.6%. Even though it's in line with the industry average of 6.2%, it's still a low return by itself.
Check out our latest analysis for Navios Maritime Containers
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Navios Maritime Containers 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 Navios Maritime Containers.
What Can We Tell From Navios Maritime Containers' ROCE Trend?
There is reason to be cautious about Navios Maritime Containers, given the returns are trending downwards. To be more specific, the ROCE was 8.2% two years ago, but since then it has dropped noticeably. On top of that, it's worth noting that the amount of capital employed within the business has remained relatively steady. Companies that exhibit these attributes tend to not be shrinking, but they can be mature and facing pressure on their margins from competition. So because these trends aren't typically conducive to creating a multi-bagger, we wouldn't hold our breath on Navios Maritime Containers becoming one if things continue as they have.
The Key Takeaway
All in all, the lower returns from the same amount of capital employed aren't exactly signs of a compounding machine. Yet despite these poor fundamentals, the stock has gained a huge 477% over the last year, so investors appear very optimistic. Regardless, we don't feel too comfortable with the fundamentals so we'd be steering clear of this stock for now.
One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Navios Maritime Containers and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
While Navios Maritime Containers isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.
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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