The Returns At Verint Systems (NASDAQ:VRNT) Provide Us With Signs Of What's To Come

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. 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 Verint Systems (NASDAQ:VRNT), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Verint Systems:

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

0.049 = US$111m ÷ (US$3.3b - US$1.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2020).

Therefore, Verint Systems has an ROCE of 4.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Software industry average of 9.4%.

Check out our latest analysis for Verint Systems

roce

In the above chart we have measured Verint Systems' 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.

What Can We Tell From Verint Systems' ROCE Trend?

Things have been pretty stable at Verint Systems, with its capital employed and returns on that capital staying somewhat the same for the last five years. It's not uncommon to see this when looking at a mature and stable business that isn't re-investing its earnings because it has likely passed that phase of the business cycle. So don't be surprised if Verint Systems doesn't end up being a multi-bagger in a few years time.

On another note, while the change in ROCE trend might not scream for attention, it's interesting that the current liabilities have actually gone up over the last five years. This is intriguing because if current liabilities hadn't increased to 31% of total assets, this reported ROCE would probably be less than4.9% because total capital employed would be higher.The 4.9% ROCE could be even lower if current liabilities weren't 31% of total assets, because the the formula would show a larger base of total capital employed. So while current liabilities isn't high right now, keep an eye out in case it increases further, because this can introduce some elements of risk.

In Conclusion...

In summary, Verint Systems isn't compounding its earnings but is generating stable returns on the same amount of capital employed. And with the stock having returned a mere 17% in the last five years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. So if you're looking for a multi-bagger, the underlying trends indicate you may have better chances elsewhere.

On a final note, we've found 4 warning signs for Verint Systems that we think you should be aware of.

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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