There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount 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. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Cheniere Energy’s (NYSE:LNG) returns on capital, so let’s have a look.
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. To calculate this metric for Cheniere Energy, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets – Current Liabilities)
0.21 = US$8.0b ÷ (US$42b – US$4.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).
Therefore, Cheniere Energy has an ROCE of 21%. In absolute terms that’s a great return and it’s even better than the Oil and Gas industry average of 12%.
See our latest analysis for Cheniere Energy
In the above chart we have measured Cheniere Energy’s 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 analyst report for Cheniere Energy .
How Are Returns Trending?
Cheniere Energy has not disappointed with their ROCE growth. Looking at the data, we can see that even though capital employed in the business has remained relatively flat, the ROCE generated has risen by 243% over the last five years. So it’s likely that the business is now reaping the full benefits of its past investments, since the capital employed hasn’t changed considerably. On that front, things are looking good so it’s worth exploring what management has said about growth plans going forward.
In Conclusion…
As discussed above, Cheniere Energy appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. Since the stock has returned a staggering 215% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.
Cheniere Energy does have some risks, we noticed 2 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.
If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning 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.
