Shutterstock (NYSE:SSTK) Could Become A Multi-Bagger

To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? 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. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Shutterstock's (NYSE:SSTK) returns on capital, so let's have a look.

What Is 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 Shutterstock, this is the formula:

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

0.23 = US$117m ÷ (US$881m - US$384m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

Thus, Shutterstock has an ROCE of 23%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 7.0% earned by companies in a similar industry.

View our latest analysis for Shutterstock

Above you can see how the current ROCE for Shutterstock compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Shutterstock.

What Does the ROCE Trend For Shutterstock Tell Us?

The trends we've noticed at Shutterstock are quite reassuring. Over the last five years, returns on capital employed have risen substantially to 23%. Basically the business is earning more per dollar of capital invested and in addition to that, 50% more capital is being employed now too. The increasing returns on a growing amount of capital is common amongst multi-baggers and that's why we're impressed.

On a side note, Shutterstock's current liabilities are still rather high at 44% of total assets. This can bring about some risks because the company is basically operating with a rather large reliance on its suppliers or other sorts of short-term creditors. Ideally we'd like to see this reduce as that would mean fewer obligations bearing risks.

The Key Takeaway

All in all, it's terrific to see that Shutterstock is reaping the rewards from prior investments and is growing its capital base. And investors seem to expect more of this going forward, since the stock has rewarded shareholders with a 65% return over the last five years. Therefore, we think it would be worth your time to check if these trends are going to continue.

On a separate note, we've found 2 warning signs for Shutterstock you'll probably want to know about.

If you want to search for more stocks that have been earning high returns, check out this free list of stocks with solid balance sheets that are also earning high returns on equity.

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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