ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. Core Lithium's annualized return on invested capital (ROIC %) for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2025 was -21.71%.
As of today (2026-06-29), Core Lithium's WACC % is 3.57%. Core Lithium's ROIC % is -11.49% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Core Lithium earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.
Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) ROIC % Explanation
ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROIC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, Core Lithium's WACC % is 3.57%. Core Lithium's ROIC % is -11.49% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Core Lithium earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital. It will destroy value as it grows.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROIC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
Core Lithium ROIC % Related Terms
Core Lithium ROIC % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Core Lithium's ROIC % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Other Industrial Metals & Mining subindustry, Core Lithium's ROIC %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROIC % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Core Lithium ROIC % vs Metals & Mining Industry
For the Metals & Mining industry and Basic Materials sector, Core Lithium's ROIC % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Core Lithium's ROIC % falls into.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is two times the semi-annual (Dec. 2025) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) has a ROIC % of -21.71% as of Dec. 2025. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Core Lithium and its competitors.
Is Core Lithium's ROIC % too high?
Core Lithium's current ROIC % is -21.71%. Overall, Core Lithium has a GF Score™ of 28/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Core Lithium's ROIC % compare to competitors?
Core Lithium's ROIC % of -21.71% can be compared against companies in the Metals & Mining industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROIC % for a Metals & Mining company?
A good ROIC % depends on the Metals & Mining industry context. However, ROIC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROIC % mean?
A high ROIC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Core Lithium and its competitors. Core Lithium's current ROIC % is -21.71%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Core Lithium stock overvalued right now?
Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) has a current ROIC % of -21.71%. The current ROIC % is -21.71%. Core Lithium's overall GF Score™ is 28/100 with 2 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROIC % calculated?
ROIC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Core Lithium (ASX:CXO), the current ROIC % is -21.71% as of Dec. 2025. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Core Lithium Ltd is a lithium exploration company. The company is engaged in the exploration of lithium and copper deposits in the Northern Territory and South Australia. Its projects include the Finniss Lithium Project and copper, zinc, and lead projects. Its segment includes Finniss Lithium Project mining, crushing, and processing operations, and Exploration: exploration and evaluation of mainly Lithium mineralisation. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Finniss Lithium Project operations segment.
28GF Score
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