Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) may have capital allocation issues

If we want to find a potential multi-bagger, there are often underlying trends that can provide clues. Ideally, a business will show two trends; first growth come back on capital employed (ROCE) and on the other hand, growth amount capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that this is a company that reinvests its earnings at increasing rates of return. That said, at a first glance at Middleby (NASDAQ:MIDD) we’re not jumping off our chairs on the yield trend, but taking a closer look.

Understanding return on capital employed (ROCE)

For those unaware, ROCE is a measure of a company’s annual pre-tax profit (yield), relative to the capital employed in the business. The formula for this calculation on Middleby is:

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

0.11 = $643 million ÷ ($6.6 billion – $976 million) (Based on the last twelve months to July 2022).

Thereby, Middleby has a ROCE of 11%. In absolute terms, this is a fairly normal return, and somewhat close to the machinery industry average of 10%.

See our latest analysis for Middleby

Above, you can see how Middleby’s current ROCE compares to its past returns on capital, but you can’t say anything about the past. If you want to see what analysts predict for the future, you should check out our free report for Middleby.

What does the ROCE trend tell us for Middleby?

On the surface, the ROCE trend at Middleby does not inspire confidence. Over the past five years, capital returns have declined to 11% from 18% five years ago. Although, given that revenue and the amount of assets used in the business have increased, it could suggest that the business is investing in growth and that the additional capital has resulted in a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, it can bode very well for long-term stock performance.

The Key Takeaway

While yields have fallen for Middleby lately, we are encouraged to see that sales are increasing and the company is reinvesting in its operations. These trends are beginning to be recognized by investors as the stock has delivered a 7.6% gain to shareholders who have held it over the past five years. Therefore, we recommend that you take a closer look at this stock to confirm if it has the makings of a good investment.

If you want to know some of the risks Middleby faces, we found 2 warning signs (1 is significant!) which you should be aware of before investing here.

Although Middleby isn’t currently generating the highest returns, we’ve compiled a list of companies that are currently generating over 25% return on equity. look at this free list here.

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This Simply Wall St article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell stocks and does not take into account your objectives or financial situation. Our goal is to bring you targeted long-term analysis based on fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not take into account the latest announcements from price-sensitive companies or qualitative materials. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.