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. 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 Vita Coco Company (NASDAQ:COCO) looks great, so lets see what the trend can tell us.

Understanding 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. The formula for this calculation on Vita Coco Company is:

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

0.33 = US$69m ÷ (US$289m - US$79m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

Therefore, Vita Coco Company has an ROCE of 33%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 17% earned by companies in a similar industry.

In the above chart we have measured Vita Coco Company'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 Vita Coco Company for free.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

We like the trends that we're seeing from Vita Coco Company. Over the last four years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 33%. 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 91%. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, a combination that's common among multi-baggers.

The Bottom Line On Vita Coco Company's ROCE

A company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Vita Coco Company has. Considering the stock has delivered 1.9% to its stockholders over the last year, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. Given that, we'd look further into this stock in case it has more traits that could make it multiply in the long term.

If you want to continue researching Vita Coco Company, you might be interested to know about the 1 warning sign that our analysis has discovered.

Vita Coco Company 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.