There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount 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. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Summit Midstream (NYSE:SMC) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

What Is 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Summit Midstream:

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

0.04 = US$70m ÷ (US$2.0b - US$231m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

Therefore, Summit Midstream has an ROCE of 4.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Oil and Gas industry average of 12%.

View our latest analysis for Summit Midstream

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Summit Midstream's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating Summit Midstream's past further, check out this free graph covering Summit Midstream's past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

We're a bit concerned with the trends, because the business is applying 30% less capital than it was five years ago and returns on that capital have stayed flat. When a company effectively decreases its assets base, it's not usually a sign to be optimistic on that company. Not only that, but the low returns on this capital mentioned earlier would leave most investors unimpressed.

Our Take On Summit Midstream's ROCE

It's a shame to see that Summit Midstream is effectively shrinking in terms of its capital base. And in the last five years, the stock has given away 10% so the market doesn't look too hopeful on these trends strengthening any time soon. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere.

Like most companies, Summit Midstream does come with some risks, and we've found 1 warning sign that you should be aware of.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.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.