We Like These Underlying Return On Capital Trends At Kingfisher (LON:KGF)

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. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Kingfisher (LON:KGF) so let's look a bit deeper.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Kingfisher, this is the formula:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.13 = UK£1.2b ÷ (UK£13b - UK£3.6b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2021).

So, Kingfisher has an ROCE of 13%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty normal return, and it's somewhat close to the Specialty Retail industry average of 15%.

Check out our latest analysis for Kingfisher

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Above you can see how the current ROCE for Kingfisher compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Kingfisher here for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Kingfisher Tell Us?

Kingfisher is displaying some positive trends. 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, 26% more capital is being employed now too. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

Our Take On Kingfisher's ROCE

All in all, it's terrific to see that Kingfisher is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. Considering the stock has delivered 11% to its stockholders over the last five years, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. So exploring more about this stock could uncover a good opportunity, if the valuation and other metrics stack up.

On a final note, we found 2 warning signs for Kingfisher (1 is potentially serious) you should be aware of.

While Kingfisher isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.