If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. So when we looked at CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA) and its trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

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 CAVA Group, this is the formula:

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

0.046 = US$43m ÷ (US$1.1b - US$134m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2024).

Therefore, CAVA Group has an ROCE of 4.6%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Hospitality industry average of 9.1%.

Check out our latest analysis for CAVA Group

Above you can see how the current ROCE for CAVA Group 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 analyst report for CAVA Group .

The Trend Of ROCE

We're delighted to see that CAVA Group is reaping rewards from its investments and is now generating some pre-tax profits. About two years ago the company was generating losses but things have turned around because it's now earning 4.6% on its capital. And unsurprisingly, like most companies trying to break into the black, CAVA Group is utilizing 83% more capital than it was two years ago. We like this trend, because it tells us the company has profitable reinvestment opportunities available to it, and if it continues going forward that can lead to a multi-bagger performance.

The Key Takeaway

To the delight of most shareholders, CAVA Group has now broken into profitability. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last year, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with CAVA Group and understanding it should be part of your investment process.

While CAVA Group 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.