There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount 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. So when we looked at the ROCE trend of HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) we really liked what we saw.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for HCA Healthcare:

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

0.24 = US$11b ÷ (US$59b - US$15b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2024).

So, HCA Healthcare has an ROCE of 24%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 10% earned by companies in a similar industry.

Above you can see how the current ROCE for HCA Healthcare 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 HCA Healthcare for free.

So How Is HCA Healthcare's ROCE Trending?

HCA Healthcare is displaying some positive trends. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 24%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 21%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at HCA Healthcare thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

The Bottom Line

To sum it up, HCA Healthcare 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 staggering 109% to shareholders over the last five years, it looks like investors are recognizing these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with HCA Healthcare and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

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.