BioLife Solutions Inc (BLFS)

Return on total capital

		Dec 31, 2023	Dec 31, 2022	Dec 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020	Dec 31, 2019
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT)	US$ in thousands	-70,825	-145,541	-35,160	-6,241	-3,193
Long-term debt	US$ in thousands	18,311	23,793	6,353	655	—
Total stockholders’ equity	US$ in thousands	337,663	364,188	478,047	204,429	43,321
Return on total capital		-19.90%	-37.51%	-7.26%	-3.04%	-7.37%

December 31, 2023 calculation

Return on total capital = EBIT ÷ (Long-term debt + Total stockholders’ equity)
= $-70,825K ÷ ($18,311K + $337,663K)
= -19.90%

BioLife Solutions Inc's return on total capital has varied over the past five years, with negative figures recorded in each year. The return on total capital was at its lowest in 2022 at -37.51%, indicating a significant loss relative to the invested capital. This was followed by an improvement in 2023, but the figure remained negative at -19.90%. The company's performance in utilizing its total capital to generate profits has not been optimal, as seen in the negative returns across multiple years. This suggests that BioLife Solutions Inc may be facing challenges in efficiently deploying its capital to generate returns for its investors.