If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Mitek Systems (NASDAQ:MITK) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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 Mitek Systems is:

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

0.093 = US$31m ÷ (US$375m - US$44m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2022).

Thus, Mitek Systems has an ROCE of 9.3%. In absolute terms, that's a low return but it's around the Software industry average of 10%.

View our latest analysis for Mitek Systems

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Mitek Systems compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Mitek Systems.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Mitek Systems Tell Us?

The returns on capital haven't changed much for Mitek Systems in recent years. The company has employed 602% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 9.3%. This poor ROCE doesn't inspire confidence right now, and with the increase in capital employed, it's evident that the business isn't deploying the funds into high return investments.

In Conclusion...

Long story short, while Mitek Systems has been reinvesting its capital, the returns that it's generating haven't increased. And with the stock having returned a mere 8.8% in the last five years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. As a result, if you're hunting for a multi-bagger, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

Like most companies, Mitek Systems does come with some risks, and we've found 3 warning signs that you should be aware of.

While Mitek Systems may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.