If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to 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. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. So, when we ran our eye over Boot Barn Holdings' (NYSE:BOOT) trend of ROCE, we liked what we saw.
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 Boot Barn Holdings, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.14 = US$239m ÷ (US$2.0b - US$353m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025).
Therefore, Boot Barn Holdings has an ROCE of 14%. That's a relatively normal return on capital, and it's around the 13% generated by the Specialty Retail industry.
See our latest analysis for Boot Barn Holdings
In the above chart we have measured Boot Barn 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 Boot Barn Holdings for free.
The Trend Of ROCE
While the returns on capital are good, they haven't moved much. The company has employed 172% more capital in the last five years, and the returns on that capital have remained stable at 14%. 14% is a pretty standard return, and it provides some comfort knowing that Boot Barn Holdings has consistently earned this amount. 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.
One more thing to note, even though ROCE has remained relatively flat over the last five years, the reduction in current liabilities to 18% of total assets, is good to see from a business owner's perspective. Effectively suppliers now fund less of the business, which can lower some elements of risk.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, Boot Barn Holdings has simply been reinvesting capital steadily, at those decent rates of return. And long term investors would be thrilled with the 621% return they've received over the last five years. So even though the stock might be more "expensive" than it was before, we think the strong fundamentals warrant this stock for further research.
One more thing, we've spotted 1 warning sign facing Boot Barn Holdings that you might find interesting.
While Boot Barn Holdings 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.