Yahoo Finance Here's What To Make Of StealthGas' (NASDAQ:GASS) Returns On Capital
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'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. Although, when we looked at StealthGas (NASDAQ:GASS), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.
What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for StealthGas:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.026 = US$22m ÷ (US$947m - US$75m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020).
Therefore, StealthGas has an ROCE of 2.6%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Oil and Gas industry average of 7.7%.
See our latest analysis for StealthGas
In the above chart we have a measured StealthGas' 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.
How Are Returns Trending?
Over the past five years, StealthGas' ROCE and capital employed have both remained mostly flat. Businesses with these traits tend to be mature and steady operations because they're past the growth phase. So don't be surprised if StealthGas doesn't end up being a multi-bagger in a few years time.
In Conclusion...
We can conclude that in regards to StealthGas' returns on capital employed and the trends, there isn't much change to report on. And in the last five years, the stock has given away 55% so the market doesn't look too hopeful on these trends strengthening any time soon. Therefore based on the analysis done in this article, we don't think StealthGas has the makings of a multi-bagger.
StealthGas does come with some risks though, we found 4 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those don't sit too well with us...
For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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