There are a few key trends to look for if we want to identify the next multi-bagger. 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. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Container Corporation of India's (NSE:CONCOR) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. To calculate this metric for Container Corporation of India, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.10 = ₹14b ÷ (₹150b - ₹12b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2025).
Therefore, Container Corporation of India has an ROCE of 10.0%. Ultimately, that's a low return and it under-performs the Transportation industry average of 13%.
See our latest analysis for Container Corporation of India
In the above chart we have measured Container Corporation of India'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 analyst report for Container Corporation of India .
While in absolute terms it isn't a high ROCE, it's promising to see that it has been moving in the right direction. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 10.0%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 27%. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.
To sum it up, Container Corporation of India has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. Since the stock has returned a solid 66% to shareholders over the last five years, it's fair to say investors are beginning to recognize these changes. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.
One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with Container Corporation of India and understanding this should be part of your investment process.
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.
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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.