Zhulian Corporation Berhad (KLSE:ZHULIAN) Might Have The Makings Of A Multi-Bagger
If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, often there are underlying trends that can provide clues. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Zhulian Corporation Berhad's (KLSE:ZHULIAN) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Zhulian Corporation Berhad:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.10 = RM48m ÷ (RM542m - RM61m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to February 2023).
Therefore, Zhulian Corporation Berhad has an ROCE of 10%. In isolation, that's a pretty standard return but against the Luxury industry average of 13%, it's not as good.
See our latest analysis for Zhulian Corporation Berhad
While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you'd like to look at how Zhulian Corporation Berhad has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
So How Is Zhulian Corporation Berhad's ROCE Trending?
Zhulian Corporation Berhad is showing promise given that its ROCE is trending up and to the right. Looking at the data, we can see that even though capital employed in the business has remained relatively flat, the ROCE generated has risen by 33% over the last five years. So it's likely that the business is now reaping the full benefits of its past investments, since the capital employed hasn't changed considerably. It's worth looking deeper into this though because while it's great that the business is more efficient, it might also mean that going forward the areas to invest internally for the organic growth are lacking.
The Bottom Line
As discussed above, Zhulian Corporation Berhad appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. And investors seem to expect more of this going forward, since the stock has rewarded shareholders with a 92% return over the last five years. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
One final note, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Zhulian Corporation Berhad (including 2 which make us uncomfortable) .
For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.
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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.
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