Yahoo Finance Investors Shouldn't Overlook The Favourable Returns On Capital At Brown-Forman (NYSE:BF.B)
Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base 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. With that in mind, the ROCE of Brown-Forman (NYSE:BF.B) looks attractive right now, so lets see what the trend of returns can tell us.
What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?
For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Brown-Forman, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.23 = US$1.2b ÷ (US$6.4b - US$1.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to April 2022).
Thus, Brown-Forman has an ROCE of 23%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Beverage industry average of 12%.
View our latest analysis for Brown-Forman
In the above chart we have measured Brown-Forman's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Brown-Forman here for free.
What Can We Tell From Brown-Forman's ROCE Trend?
Brown-Forman deserves to be commended in regards to it's returns. The company has consistently earned 23% for the last five years, and the capital employed within the business has risen 46% in that time. With returns that high, it's great that the business can continually reinvest its money at such appealing rates of return. You'll see this when looking at well operated businesses or favorable business models.
The Bottom Line On Brown-Forman's ROCE
In short, we'd argue Brown-Forman has the makings of a multi-bagger since its been able to compound its capital at very profitable rates of return. And the stock has done incredibly well with a 101% return over the last five years, so long term investors are no doubt ecstatic with that result. So even though the stock might be more "expensive" than it was before, we think the strong fundamentals warrant this stock for further research.
If you'd like to know about the risks facing Brown-Forman, we've discovered 1 warning sign that 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.
