We Like These Underlying Return On Capital Trends At Guess' (NYSE:GES)
If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. So when we looked at Guess' (NYSE:GES) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
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 Guess':
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.13 = US$218m ÷ (US$2.5b - US$715m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2021).
Therefore, Guess' has an ROCE of 13%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty standard return but compared to the Specialty Retail industry average it falls behind.
Check out our latest analysis for Guess'
In the above chart we have measured Guess''s prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Guess' here for free.
So How Is Guess''s ROCE Trending?
The trends we've noticed at Guess' are quite reassuring. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 13%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 41% more capital is being employed now too. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Guess' thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, Guess' has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And with a respectable 75% awarded to those who held the stock over the last five years, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
If you'd like to know about the risks facing Guess', we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should be aware of.
If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.
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.
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