Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) Is Doing The Right Things To Multiply Its Share Price

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. With that in mind, we've noticed some promising trends at Photronics (NASDAQ:PLAB) so let's look a bit deeper.

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

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. The formula for this calculation on Photronics is:

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

0.10 = US$117m ÷ (US$1.3b - US$191m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to January 2022).

So, Photronics has an ROCE of 10%. In isolation, that's a pretty standard return but against the Semiconductor industry average of 14%, it's not as good.

See our latest analysis for Photronics

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Photronics compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

What Can We Tell From Photronics' ROCE Trend?

Investors would be pleased with what's happening at Photronics. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 10%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 25% more capital is being employed now too. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Photronics thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

The Key Takeaway

All in all, it's terrific to see that Photronics is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And with a respectable 52% awarded to those who held the stock over the last five years, you could argue that these developments are starting to get the attention they deserve. 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.

While Photronics looks impressive, no company is worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether PLAB is currently trading for a fair price.

While Photronics isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

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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.