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What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can 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. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. So on that note, Gulf Marine Services (LON:GMS) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.
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 Gulf Marine Services is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.083 = US$47m ÷ (US$649m - US$89m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).
Therefore, Gulf Marine Services has an ROCE of 8.3%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Energy Services industry average of 10%.
Check out our latest analysis for Gulf Marine Services
In the above chart we have measured Gulf Marine Services' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Gulf Marine Services.
What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us
We're pretty happy with how the ROCE has been trending at Gulf Marine Services. The figures show that over the last five years, returns on capital have grown by 239%. That's a very favorable trend because this means that the company is earning more per dollar of capital that's being employed. Interestingly, the business may be becoming more efficient because it's applying 32% less capital than it was five years ago. A business that's shrinking its asset base like this isn't usually typical of a soon to be multi-bagger company.
The Bottom Line On Gulf Marine Services' ROCE
From what we've seen above, Gulf Marine Services has managed to increase it's returns on capital all the while reducing it's capital base. Since the total return from the stock has been almost flat over the last five years, there might be an opportunity here if the valuation looks good. That being the case, research into the company's current valuation metrics and future prospects seems fitting.
On a final note, we found 4 warning signs for Gulf Marine Services (1 is potentially serious) you should be aware of.