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The Returns At Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ:BGFV) Aren't Growing

If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. One common approach is to try and find a company with returns on capital employed (ROCE) that are increasing, in conjunction with a growing amount 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. That's why when we briefly looked at Big 5 Sporting Goods' (NASDAQ:BGFV) ROCE trend, we were pretty happy with what we saw.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. The formula for this calculation on Big 5 Sporting Goods is:

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

0.16 = US$83m ÷ (US$774m - US$264m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2022).

Therefore, Big 5 Sporting Goods has an ROCE of 16%. In absolute terms, that's a pretty normal return, and it's somewhat close to the Specialty Retail industry average of 17%.

Check out our latest analysis for Big 5 Sporting Goods

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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 to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Big 5 Sporting Goods.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Big 5 Sporting Goods Tell Us?

The trend of ROCE doesn't stand out much, but returns on a whole are decent. The company has employed 79% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 16%. Since 16% is a moderate ROCE though, it's good to see a business can continue to reinvest at these decent rates of return. Over long periods of time, returns like these might not be too exciting, but with consistency they can pay off in terms of share price returns.

What We Can Learn From Big 5 Sporting Goods' ROCE

The main thing to remember is that Big 5 Sporting Goods has proven its ability to continually reinvest at respectable rates of return. And the stock has followed suit returning a meaningful 90% to shareholders over the last five years. So while the positive underlying trends may be accounted for by investors, we still think this stock is worth looking into further.

One more thing to note, we've identified 2 warning signs with Big 5 Sporting Goods and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

While Big 5 Sporting Goods may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here.

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.

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