What are the early trends we should look for to identify a stock that could multiply in value over the long term? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So, when we ran our eye over Ampol's (ASX:ALD) trend of ROCE, we really liked what we saw.

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

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 Ampol:

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

0.20 = AU$1.5b ÷ (AU$15b - AU$7.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).

Thus, Ampol has an ROCE of 20%.  That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 13% earned by companies in a similar industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Ampol  roce

In the above chart we have measured Ampol's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our freereport on analyst forecasts for the company.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

It's hard not to be impressed by Ampol's returns on capital. The company has consistently earned 20% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 95% in that time. With returns that high, it's great that the business can continually reinvest its money at such appealing rates of return. You'll see this when looking at well operated businesses or favorable business models.

Another point to note, we noticed the company has increased current liabilities over the last five years. This is intriguing because if current liabilities hadn't increased to 48% of total assets, this reported ROCE would probably be less than20% because total capital employed would be higher.The 20% ROCE could be even lower if current liabilities weren't 48% of total assets, because the the formula would show a larger base of total capital employed. Additionally, this high level of current liabilities isn't ideal because it means the company's suppliers (or short-term creditors) are effectively funding a large portion of the business.



What We Can Learn From Ampol's ROCE

In summary, we're delighted to see that Ampol has been compounding returns by reinvesting at consistently high rates of return, as these are common traits of a multi-bagger. Despite the good fundamentals, total returns from the stock have been virtually flat over the last five years. For that reason, savvy investors might want to look further into this company in case it's a prime investment.

One more thing: We've identified  3 warning signs  with Ampol (at least 2 which are a bit unpleasant)  , and understanding them would certainly be useful.

Ampol is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.

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.

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