Yahoo Finance The Trend Of High Returns At Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) Has Us Very Interested
If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. So when we looked at the ROCE trend of Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) we really liked what we saw.
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 Korn Ferry, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.20 = US$492m ÷ (US$3.2b - US$686m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2022).
Thus, Korn Ferry has an ROCE of 20%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 13% earned by companies in a similar industry.
View our latest analysis for Korn Ferry
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Korn Ferry compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering Korn Ferry here for free.
How Are Returns Trending?
We like the trends that we're seeing from Korn Ferry. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 20%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 52%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.
Our Take On Korn Ferry's ROCE
To sum it up, Korn Ferry has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And investors seem to expect more of this going forward, since the stock has rewarded shareholders with a 42% return over the last five years. With that being said, we still think the promising fundamentals mean the company deserves some further due diligence.
On a separate note, we've found 1 warning sign for Korn Ferry you'll probably want to know about.
Korn Ferry is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.
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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.
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