Returns On Capital At Verra Mobility (NASDAQ:VRRM) Paint An Interesting Picture

Finding a business that has the potential to grow substantially is not easy, but it is possible if we look at a few key financial metrics. 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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Verra Mobility (NASDAQ:VRRM) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

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 Verra Mobility:

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

0.059 = US$76m ÷ (US$1.4b - US$65m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).

Therefore, Verra Mobility has an ROCE of 5.9%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the IT industry average of 10%.

Check out our latest analysis for Verra Mobility

In the above chart we have measured Verra Mobility's 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 Verra Mobility.

The Trend Of ROCE

The trend of ROCE doesn't look fantastic because it's fallen from 12% three years ago, while the business's capital employed increased by 225%. However, some of the increase in capital employed could be attributed to the recent capital raising that's been completed prior to their latest reporting period, so keep that in mind when looking at the ROCE decrease. The funds raised likely haven't been put to work yet so it's worth watching what happens in the future with Verra Mobility's earnings and if they change as a result from the capital raise.

What We Can Learn From Verra Mobility's ROCE

To conclude, we've found that Verra Mobility is reinvesting in the business, but returns have been falling. And in the last year, the stock has given away 31% so the market doesn't look too hopeful on these trends strengthening any time soon. On the whole, we aren't too inspired by the underlying trends and we think there may be better chances of finding a multi-bagger elsewhere.

On a final note, we've found 1 warning sign for Verra Mobility that we think you should be aware of.

For those who like to invest in solid companies, check out this free list of companies with solid balance sheets and high returns on equity.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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