In This Article:
Today we'll evaluate Cortina Holdings Limited (SGX:C41) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. To be precise, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), as that will inform our view of the quality of the business.
First, we'll go over how we calculate ROCE. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. And finally, we'll look at how its current liabilities are impacting its ROCE.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?
ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. Generally speaking a higher ROCE is better. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that 'one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar'.
How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed?
Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
Or for Cortina Holdings:
0.17 = S$45m ÷ (S$347m - S$90m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)
So, Cortina Holdings has an ROCE of 17%.
Check out our latest analysis for Cortina Holdings
Does Cortina Holdings Have A Good ROCE?
ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. Using our data, we find that Cortina Holdings's ROCE is meaningfully better than the 9.6% average in the Specialty Retail industry. We consider this a positive sign, because it suggests it uses capital more efficiently than similar companies. Independently of how Cortina Holdings compares to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears decent, and the company may be worthy of closer investigation.
Our data shows that Cortina Holdings currently has an ROCE of 17%, compared to its ROCE of 11% 3 years ago. This makes us think the business might be improving. The image below shows how Cortina Holdings's ROCE compares to its industry, and you can click it to see more detail on its past growth.
When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily predict the future. ROCE can be misleading for companies in cyclical industries, with returns looking impressive during the boom times, but very weak during the busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. If Cortina Holdings is cyclical, it could make sense to check out this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.