Why We Like The Returns At HeadHunter Group (NASDAQ:HHR)
If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at HeadHunter Group's (NASDAQ:HHR) look very promising so lets take a look.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. To calculate this metric for HeadHunter Group, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.39 = ₽3.0b ÷ (₽12b - ₽4.3b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2020).
So, HeadHunter Group has an ROCE of 39%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 9.4% earned by companies in a similar industry.
Check out our latest analysis for HeadHunter Group
Above you can see how the current ROCE for HeadHunter Group 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 HeadHunter Group.
What Does the ROCE Trend For HeadHunter Group Tell Us?
HeadHunter Group has not disappointed with their ROCE growth. The figures show that over the last four years, ROCE has grown 145% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. So our take on this is that the business has increased efficiencies to generate these higher returns, all the while not needing to make any additional investments. The company is doing well in that sense, and it's worth investigating what the management team has planned for long term growth prospects.
On a side note, we noticed that the improvement in ROCE appears to be partly fueled by an increase in current liabilities. The current liabilities has increased to 36% of total assets, so the business is now more funded by the likes of its suppliers or short-term creditors. Keep an eye out for future increases because when the ratio of current liabilities to total assets gets particularly high, this can introduce some new risks for the business.
Our Take On HeadHunter Group's ROCE
As discussed above, HeadHunter Group appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. And with a respectable 46% awarded to those who held the stock over the last year, 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.
One more thing, we've spotted 3 warning signs facing HeadHunter Group that you might find interesting.
HeadHunter Group is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.
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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