Is There More Growth In Store For Pangaea Logistics Solutions' (NASDAQ:PANL) Returns On Capital?
Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, 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. So on that note, Pangaea Logistics Solutions (NASDAQ:PANL) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.
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. To calculate this metric for Pangaea Logistics Solutions, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.068 = US$26m ÷ (US$452m - US$73m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020).
Thus, Pangaea Logistics Solutions has an ROCE of 6.8%. On its own that's a low return on capital but it's in line with the industry's average returns of 6.8%.
Check out our latest analysis for Pangaea Logistics Solutions
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Pangaea Logistics Solutions compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us
Even though ROCE is still low in absolute terms, it's good to see it's heading in the right direction. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 6.8%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 63% more capital is being employed now too. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.
On a related note, the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets has decreased to 16%, which basically reduces it's funding from the likes of short-term creditors or suppliers. 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.
The Bottom Line On Pangaea Logistics Solutions' ROCE
In summary, it's great to see that Pangaea Logistics Solutions can compound returns by consistently reinvesting capital at increasing rates of return, because these are some of the key ingredients of those highly sought after multi-baggers. And since the stock has fallen 25% over the last five years, there might be an opportunity here. With that in mind, we believe the promising trends warrant this stock for further investigation.
One more thing: We've identified 3 warning signs with Pangaea Logistics Solutions (at least 1 which is a bit concerning) , and understanding them would certainly be useful.
While Pangaea Logistics Solutions isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.
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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