If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Although, when we looked at AsiaInfo Technologies (HKG:1675), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

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. The formula for this calculation on AsiaInfo Technologies is:

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

0.08 = CN¥524m ÷ (CN¥10b - CN¥3.5b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

Thus, AsiaInfo Technologies has an ROCE of 8.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return, but it's much better than the Software industry average of 6.1%.

See our latest analysis for AsiaInfo Technologies

Above you can see how the current ROCE for AsiaInfo Technologies compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for AsiaInfo Technologies .

How Are Returns Trending?

When we looked at the ROCE trend at AsiaInfo Technologies, we didn't gain much confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 11% over the last five years. However it looks like AsiaInfo Technologies might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

The Bottom Line On AsiaInfo Technologies' ROCE

In summary, AsiaInfo Technologies is reinvesting funds back into the business for growth but unfortunately it looks like sales haven't increased much just yet. Unsurprisingly, the stock has only gained 16% over the last five years, which potentially indicates that investors are accounting for this going forward. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

If you want to know some of the risks facing AsiaInfo Technologies we've found 4 warning signs (1 is significant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

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

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.