There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding 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. With that in mind, the ROCE of Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) looks great, so lets see what the trend can tell us.

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 Ulta Beauty is:

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

0.44 = US$1.6b ÷ (US$5.4b - US$1.7b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to January 2023).

So, Ulta Beauty has an ROCE of 44%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 16% earned by companies in a similar industry.

See our latest analysis for Ulta Beauty

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Ulta Beauty 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 report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Can We Tell From Ulta Beauty's ROCE Trend?

The trends we've noticed at Ulta Beauty are quite reassuring. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 44%. 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 63%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Ulta Beauty thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

What We Can Learn From Ulta Beauty's ROCE

All in all, it's terrific to see that Ulta Beauty is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.

On the other side of ROCE, we have to consider valuation. That's why we have a FREE intrinsic value estimation on our platform that is definitely worth checking out.

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.

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