Returns On Capital At Juniper Networks (NYSE:JNPR) Paint A Concerning Picture

To avoid investing in a business that's in decline, there's a few financial metrics that can provide early indications of aging. Businesses in decline often have two underlying trends, firstly, a declining return on capital employed (ROCE) and a declining base of capital employed. This reveals that the company isn't compounding shareholder wealth because returns are falling and its net asset base is shrinking. Having said that, after a brief look, Juniper Networks (NYSE:JNPR) we aren't filled with optimism, but let's investigate further.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Juniper Networks, this is the formula:

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

0.071 = US$501m ÷ (US$9.0b - US$1.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2022).

Thus, Juniper Networks has an ROCE of 7.1%. On its own, that's a low figure but it's around the 8.7% average generated by the Communications industry.

View our latest analysis for Juniper Networks

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Juniper Networks 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 Juniper Networks' ROCE Trend?

In terms of Juniper Networks' historical ROCE movements, the trend doesn't inspire confidence. About five years ago, returns on capital were 12%, however they're now substantially lower than that as we saw above. Meanwhile, capital employed in the business has stayed roughly the flat over the period. Since returns are falling and the business has the same amount of assets employed, this can suggest it's a mature business that hasn't had much growth in the last five years. If these trends continue, we wouldn't expect Juniper Networks to turn into a multi-bagger.

Our Take On Juniper Networks' ROCE

In summary, it's unfortunate that Juniper Networks is generating lower returns from the same amount of capital. Despite the concerning underlying trends, the stock has actually gained 34% over the last five years, so it might be that the investors are expecting the trends to reverse. Either way, we aren't huge fans of the current trends and so with that we think you might find better investments elsewhere.

On a final note, we've found 2 warning signs for Juniper Networks that we think you should be aware of.

While Juniper Networks isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are 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.

Join A Paid User Research Session
You’ll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here