The Trend Of High Returns At Aehr Test Systems (NASDAQ:AEHR) Has Us Very Interested
If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. 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. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Aehr Test Systems' (NASDAQ:AEHR) look very promising so lets take a look.
What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
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 Aehr Test Systems:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.20 = US$19m ÷ (US$101m - US$8.0m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to November 2023).
Thus, Aehr Test Systems has an ROCE of 20%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 11% earned by companies in a similar industry.
View our latest analysis for Aehr Test Systems
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Aehr Test Systems 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 analyst report for Aehr Test Systems .
What Can We Tell From Aehr Test Systems' ROCE Trend?
We're delighted to see that Aehr Test Systems is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 20% which is a sight for sore eyes. Not only that, but the company is utilizing 410% more capital than before, but that's to be expected from a company trying to break into profitability. This can tell us that the company has plenty of reinvestment opportunities that are able to generate higher returns.
One more thing to note, Aehr Test Systems has decreased current liabilities to 7.9% of total assets over this period, which effectively reduces the amount of funding from suppliers or short-term creditors. Therefore we can rest assured that the growth in ROCE is a result of the business' fundamental improvements, rather than a cooking class featuring this company's books.
What We Can Learn From Aehr Test Systems' ROCE
Long story short, we're delighted to see that Aehr Test Systems' reinvestment activities have paid off and the company is now profitable. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
If you'd like to know more about Aehr Test Systems, we've spotted 3 warning signs, and 1 of them is potentially serious.
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.
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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.
