What trends should we look for it we want to identify stocks that can multiply in value over the long term? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Beazer Homes USA’s (NYSE:BZH) returns on capital, so let’s have a look.
Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
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. To calculate this metric for Beazer Homes USA, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets – Current Liabilities)
0.11 = US$228m ÷ (US$2.3b – US$203m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).
So, Beazer Homes USA has an ROCE of 11%. In absolute terms, that’s a pretty standard return but compared to the Consumer Durables industry average it falls behind.
Check out our latest analysis for Beazer Homes USA
In the above chart we have measured Beazer Homes USA’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
Beazer Homes USA has not disappointed with their ROCE growth. The figures show that over the last five years, ROCE has grown 172% whilst employing roughly the same amount of capital. Basically the business is generating higher returns from the same amount of capital and that is proof that there are improvements in the company’s efficiencies. 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 Bottom Line On Beazer Homes USA’s ROCE
To sum it up, Beazer Homes USA is collecting higher returns from the same amount of capital, and that’s impressive. Since the stock has returned a staggering 158% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
One more thing, we’ve spotted 2 warning signs facing Beazer Homes USA that you might find interesting.
While Beazer Homes USA may not currently earn the highest returns, we’ve compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.
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.
