These Return Metrics Don't Make Marten Transport (NASDAQ:MRTN) Look Too Strong
When researching a stock for investment, what can tell us that the company is in decline? Typically, we'll see the trend of both return on capital employed (ROCE) declining and this usually coincides with a decreasing amount of capital employed. This indicates the company is producing less profit from its investments and its total assets are decreasing. In light of that, from a first glance at Marten Transport (NASDAQ:MRTN), we've spotted some signs that it could be struggling, so let's investigate.
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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. The formula for this calculation on Marten Transport is:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.024 = US$21m ÷ (US$983m - US$110m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2025).
So, Marten Transport has an ROCE of 2.4%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Transportation industry average of 9.1%.
See our latest analysis for Marten Transport
Above you can see how the current ROCE for Marten Transport compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free analyst report for Marten Transport .
There is reason to be cautious about Marten Transport, given the returns are trending downwards. To be more specific, the ROCE was 9.3% five years ago, but since then it has dropped noticeably. Meanwhile, capital employed in the business has stayed roughly the flat over the period. This combination can be indicative of a mature business that still has areas to deploy capital, but the returns received aren't as high due potentially to new competition or smaller margins. If these trends continue, we wouldn't expect Marten Transport to turn into a multi-bagger.
In summary, it's unfortunate that Marten Transport is generating lower returns from the same amount of capital. Long term shareholders who've owned the stock over the last five years have experienced a 14% depreciation in their investment, so it appears the market might not like these trends either. Unless there is a shift to a more positive trajectory in these metrics, we would look elsewhere.
Marten Transport does have some risks, we noticed 3 warning signs (and 1 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about.
While Marten Transport isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.
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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