Why The 27% Return On Capital At Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ:BGFV) Should Have Your Attention

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. 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. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Big 5 Sporting Goods' (NASDAQ:BGFV) look very promising so lets take a look.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it?

For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Big 5 Sporting Goods:

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

0.27 = US$137m ÷ (US$745m - US$240m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2021).

So, Big 5 Sporting Goods has an ROCE of 27%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Specialty Retail industry average of 20%.

Check out our latest analysis for Big 5 Sporting Goods

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Big 5 Sporting Goods 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 Big 5 Sporting Goods here for free.

So How Is Big 5 Sporting Goods' ROCE Trending?

We like the trends that we're seeing from Big 5 Sporting Goods. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 27%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 101%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

The Bottom Line On Big 5 Sporting Goods' ROCE

To sum it up, Big 5 Sporting Goods has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. Since the stock has returned a solid 56% to shareholders over the last five years, it's fair to say investors are beginning to recognize these changes. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist.

If you want to continue researching Big 5 Sporting Goods, you might be interested to know about the 4 warning signs that our analysis has discovered.

If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning high returns on equity.

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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.