Be Wary Of Vipshop Holdings (NYSE:VIPS) And Its Returns On Capital

Simply Wall St
·3 min read

There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, 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. In light of that, when we looked at Vipshop Holdings (NYSE:VIPS) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

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. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Vipshop Holdings:

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

0.15 = CN¥5.2b ÷ (CN¥57b - CN¥21b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2022).

Therefore, Vipshop Holdings has an ROCE of 15%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 11% generated by the Online Retail industry.

See our latest analysis for Vipshop Holdings

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roce

In the above chart we have measured Vipshop Holdings' 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 Vipshop Holdings here for free.

What Can We Tell From Vipshop Holdings' ROCE Trend?

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Vipshop Holdings, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 25%, but since then they've fallen to 15%. However it looks like Vipshop Holdings might be reinvesting for long term growth because while capital employed has increased, the company's sales haven't changed much in the last 12 months. It's worth keeping an eye on the company's earnings from here on to see if these investments do end up contributing to the bottom line.

On a side note, Vipshop Holdings has done well to pay down its current liabilities to 37% of total assets. That could partly explain why the ROCE has dropped. Effectively this means their suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of the business, which reduces some elements of risk. Some would claim this reduces the business' efficiency at generating ROCE since it is now funding more of the operations with its own money.

Our Take On Vipshop Holdings' ROCE

Bringing it all together, while we're somewhat encouraged by Vipshop Holdings' reinvestment in its own business, we're aware that returns are shrinking. And investors appear hesitant that the trends will pick up because the stock has fallen 12% in the last five years. In any case, the stock doesn't have these traits of a multi-bagger discussed above, so if that's what you're looking for, we think you'd have more luck elsewhere.

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

While Vipshop Holdings 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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