If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? 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 investigating Zimplats Holdings (ASX:ZIM), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

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 Zimplats Holdings:

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

0.03 = US$69m ÷ (US$2.5b - US$269m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024).

So, Zimplats Holdings has an ROCE of 3.0%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Metals and Mining industry average of 8.6%.

See our latest analysis for Zimplats Holdings

Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Zimplats Holdings' ROCE against it's prior returns. If you'd like to look at how Zimplats Holdings has performed in the past in other metrics, you can view this free graph of Zimplats Holdings' past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

In terms of Zimplats Holdings' historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 3.0% from 18% five years ago. On the other hand, the company has been employing more capital without a corresponding improvement in sales in the last year, which could suggest these investments are longer term plays. 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 Key Takeaway

To conclude, we've found that Zimplats Holdings is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. Although the market must be expecting these trends to improve because the stock has gained 79% over the last five years. However, unless these underlying trends turn more positive, we wouldn't get our hopes up too high.

If you want to know some of the risks facing Zimplats Holdings we've found 2 warning signs (1 can't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.