Yahoo Finance Serica Energy (LON:SQZ) Is Very Good At Capital Allocation
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. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Serica Energy's (LON:SQZ) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?
Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on Serica Energy is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.29 = UK£298m ÷ (UK£1.2b - UK£201m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
Therefore, Serica Energy has an ROCE of 29%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 10% earned by companies in a similar industry.
See our latest analysis for Serica Energy
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Serica Energy compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free analyst report for Serica Energy .
What Can We Tell From Serica Energy's ROCE Trend?
Serica Energy is displaying some positive trends. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 29%. The company is effectively making more money per dollar of capital used, and it's worth noting that the amount of capital has increased too, by 196%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.
One more thing to note, Serica Energy has decreased current liabilities to 16% of total assets over this period, which effectively reduces the amount of funding from suppliers or short-term creditors. This tells us that Serica Energy has grown its returns without a reliance on increasing their current liabilities, which we're very happy with.
The Bottom Line On Serica Energy's ROCE
To sum it up, Serica Energy has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And with a respectable 53% awarded to those who held the stock over the last five years, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.
One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Serica Energy and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
High returns are a key ingredient to strong performance, so check out our free list ofstocks earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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@simplywallst.com
