If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. 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. So on that note, BrightSpring Health Services (NASDAQ:BTSG) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

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

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for BrightSpring Health Services:

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

0.068 = US$307m ÷ (US$5.8b - US$1.3b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

Therefore, BrightSpring Health Services has an ROCE of 6.8%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Healthcare industry average of 10%.

View our latest analysis for BrightSpring Health Services

Above you can see how the current ROCE for BrightSpring Health Services 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 BrightSpring Health Services for free.

What Does the ROCE Trend For BrightSpring Health Services 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 four years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 6.8%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 24%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

In Conclusion...

In summary, it's great to see that BrightSpring Health Services 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 with a respectable 97% awarded to those who held the stock over the last year, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.

While BrightSpring Health Services looks impressive, no company is worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic for BTSG helps visualize whether it is currently trading for a fair price.

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high 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.