We Think Hilton Worldwide Holdings (NYSE:HLT) Might Have The DNA Of A Multi-Bagger
What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? 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. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Hilton Worldwide Holdings' (NYSE:HLT) look very promising so lets take 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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Hilton Worldwide Holdings:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.20 = US$2.3b ÷ (US$16b - US$4.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2024).
Thus, Hilton Worldwide Holdings has an ROCE of 20%. 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 Hilton Worldwide Holdings
In the above chart we have measured Hilton Worldwide Holdings' 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 Hilton Worldwide Holdings .
What Does the ROCE Trend For Hilton Worldwide Holdings Tell Us?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings is showing promise given that its ROCE is trending up and to the right. The figures show that over the last five years, ROCE has grown 66% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. So our take on this is that the business has increased efficiencies to generate these higher returns, all the while not needing to make any additional investments. It's worth looking deeper into this though because while it's great that the business is more efficient, it might also mean that going forward the areas to invest internally for the organic growth are lacking.
The Key Takeaway
As discussed above, Hilton Worldwide Holdings appears to be getting more proficient at generating returns since capital employed has remained flat but earnings (before interest and tax) are up. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
On a final note, we found 2 warning signs for Hilton Worldwide Holdings (1 doesn't sit too well with us) you should be aware of.
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.
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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.