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Dropbox (NASDAQ:DBX) Is Experiencing Growth In Returns On Capital

Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So on that note, Dropbox (NASDAQ:DBX) looks quite promising in regards to its trends of return on capital.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Dropbox:

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

0.10 = US$227m ÷ (US$3.3b - US$1.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2021).

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So, Dropbox has an ROCE of 10%. That's a pretty standard return and it's in line with the industry average of 10%.

Check out our latest analysis for Dropbox

roce
roce

In the above chart we have measured Dropbox'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 free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

The Trend Of ROCE

The fact that Dropbox is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's earning 10% which is a sight for sore eyes. In addition to that, Dropbox is employing 419% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, both common traits of a multi-bagger.

In another part of our analysis, we noticed that the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets decreased to 34%, which broadly means the business is relying less on its suppliers or short-term creditors to fund its operations. So this improvement in ROCE has come from the business' underlying economics, which is great to see.

Our Take On Dropbox's ROCE

Overall, Dropbox gets a big tick from us thanks in most part to the fact that it is now profitable and is reinvesting in its business. Investors may not be impressed by the favorable underlying trends yet because over the last three years the stock has only returned 16% to shareholders. Given that, we'd look further into this stock in case it has more traits that could make it multiply in the long term.

One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Dropbox that you might find interesting.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.