If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after investigating China MeiDong Auto Holdings (HKG:1268), we don't think it's current trends fit the mold of a multi-bagger.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

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. The formula for this calculation on China MeiDong Auto Holdings is:

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

0.072 = CN¥549m ÷ (CN¥14b - CN¥6.7b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).

Therefore, China MeiDong Auto Holdings has an ROCE of 7.2%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Specialty Retail industry average of 10%.

Check out our latest analysis for China MeiDong Auto Holdings

Above you can see how the current ROCE for China MeiDong Auto Holdings 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 China MeiDong Auto Holdings for free.

What Can We Tell From China MeiDong Auto Holdings' ROCE Trend?

In terms of China MeiDong Auto Holdings' historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 26%, but since then they've fallen to 7.2%. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

On a side note, China MeiDong Auto Holdings' current liabilities are still rather high at 47% of total assets. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

The Key Takeaway

From the above analysis, we find it rather worrisome that returns on capital and sales for China MeiDong Auto Holdings have fallen, meanwhile the business is employing more capital than it was five years ago. It should come as no surprise then that the stock has fallen 64% over the last five years, so it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. With underlying trends that aren't great in these areas, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

On a final note, we've found 3 warning signs for China MeiDong Auto Holdings that we think you should be aware of.

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.