Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Endeavor Group Holdings (NYSE:EDR) so let's look a bit deeper.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

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. To calculate this metric for Endeavor Group Holdings, this is the formula:

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

0.028 = US$537m ÷ (US$22b - US$2.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023).

Therefore, Endeavor Group Holdings has an ROCE of 2.8%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Entertainment industry average of 9.6%.

Check out our latest analysis for Endeavor Group Holdings

In the above chart we have measured Endeavor Group Holdings' prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Endeavor Group Holdings.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Endeavor Group Holdings Tell Us?

The fact that Endeavor Group Holdings is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. About five years ago the company was generating losses but things have turned around because it's now earning 2.8% on its capital. In addition to that, Endeavor Group Holdings is employing 144% more capital than previously which is expected of a company that's trying to break into profitability. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, both common traits of a multi-bagger.

In Conclusion...

To the delight of most shareholders, Endeavor Group Holdings has now broken into profitability. And with a respectable 9.1% awarded to those who held the stock over the last year, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

On a separate note, we've found 2 warning signs for Endeavor Group Holdings you'll probably want to know about.

If you want to search for solid companies with great earnings, check out this free list of companies with good balance sheets and impressive returns on equity.

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.