Is Boltek Holdings Limited’s (HKG:8601) 18% ROCE Any Good?
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Today we'll evaluate Boltek Holdings Limited (HKG:8601) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires.
First, we'll go over how we calculate ROCE. Next, we'll compare it to others in its industry. Last but not least, we'll look at what impact its current liabilities have on its ROCE.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike.'
How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?
Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
Or for Boltek Holdings:
0.18 = HK$19m ÷ (HK$117m - HK$6.4m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.)
So, Boltek Holdings has an ROCE of 18%.
View our latest analysis for Boltek Holdings
Is Boltek Holdings's ROCE Good?
When making comparisons between similar businesses, investors may find ROCE useful. In our analysis, Boltek Holdings's ROCE is meaningfully higher than the 13% average in the Construction industry. We consider this a positive sign, because it suggests it uses capital more efficiently than similar companies. Regardless of where Boltek Holdings sits next to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears satisfactory, and this company could be worth a closer look.
The image below shows how Boltek Holdings's ROCE compares to its industry, and you can click it to see more detail on its past growth.
When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. How cyclical is Boltek Holdings? You can see for yourself by looking at this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
How Boltek Holdings's Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE
Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets.
Boltek Holdings has total liabilities of HK$6.4m and total assets of HK$117m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 5.5% of its total assets. In addition to low current liabilities (making a negligible impact on ROCE), Boltek Holdings earns a sound return on capital employed.
Our Take On Boltek Holdings's ROCE
If Boltek Holdings can continue reinvesting in its business, it could be an attractive prospect. Boltek Holdings looks strong on this analysis, but there are plenty of other companies that could be a good opportunity . Here is a free list of companies growing earnings rapidly.
If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
