Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Edwards Lifesciences:

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

0.17 = US$1.9b ÷ (US$13b - US$1.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

Thus, Edwards Lifesciences has an ROCE of 17%. In absolute terms, that's a satisfactory return, but compared to the Medical Equipment industry average of 11% it's much better.

Check out our latest analysis for Edwards Lifesciences

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Edwards Lifesciences 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 Edwards Lifesciences for free.

So How Is Edwards Lifesciences' ROCE Trending?

In terms of Edwards Lifesciences' historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 23%, but since then they've fallen to 17%. However, given capital employed and revenue have both increased it appears that the business is currently pursuing growth, at the consequence of short term returns. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

What We Can Learn From Edwards Lifesciences' ROCE

Even though returns on capital have fallen in the short term, we find it promising that revenue and capital employed have both increased for Edwards Lifesciences. These trends don't appear to have influenced returns though, because the total return from the stock has been mostly flat over the last five years. So we think it'd be worthwhile to look further into this stock given the trends look encouraging.

While Edwards Lifesciences doesn't shine too bright in this respect, it's still worth seeing if the company is trading at attractive prices. You can find that out with our FREE intrinsic value estimation for EW on our platform.

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.

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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.