To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? 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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Metallurgical Corporation of China (HKG:1618) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

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What Is 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 Metallurgical Corporation of China, this is the formula:

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

0.046 = CN¥11b ÷ (CN¥832b - CN¥596b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025).

So, Metallurgical Corporation of China has an ROCE of 4.6%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 5.5% average generated by the Construction industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Metallurgical Corporation of China

In the above chart we have measured Metallurgical Corporation of China'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 analyst report for Metallurgical Corporation of China .

What Can We Tell From Metallurgical Corporation of China's ROCE Trend?

On the surface, the trend of ROCE at Metallurgical Corporation of China doesn't inspire confidence. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 4.6% from 8.9% five years ago. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

Another thing to note, Metallurgical Corporation of China has a high ratio of current liabilities to total assets of 72%. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. While it's not necessarily a bad thing, it can be beneficial if this ratio is lower.

The Key Takeaway

In summary, we're somewhat concerned by Metallurgical Corporation of China's diminishing returns on increasing amounts of capital. Yet despite these concerning fundamentals, the stock has performed strongly with a 55% return over the last five years, so investors appear very optimistic. Regardless, we don't feel too comfortable with the fundamentals so we'd be steering clear of this stock for now.

If you'd like to know more about Metallurgical Corporation of China, we've spotted 2 warning signs, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored.

While Metallurgical Corporation of China 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.