Marchex, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX) Struggles with Negative Return on Invested Capital

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • Sep 04, 2025

• Marchex, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX) has a negative Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of -15.82% compared to its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 12.72%, indicating inefficiency in generating returns.
• Its ROIC to WACC ratio of -1.24 is a red flag for investors, suggesting the company is not using its capital effectively to generate profits.
• Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) showcases the highest ROIC to WACC ratio of 1.10 among peers, indicating efficient capital use and generating returns that exceed its cost of capital.

Marchex, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX) is a company that specializes in call analytics and call tracking solutions, helping businesses connect with customers through phone calls. Despite its innovative services, Marchex faces challenges in generating returns that exceed its cost of capital. This is evident from its negative Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of -15.82% compared to a Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 12.72%.

The ROIC to WACC ratio for Marchex is -1.24, indicating inefficiency in generating returns relative to its cost of capital. This is a red flag for investors, as it suggests that the company is not using its capital effectively to generate profits. In comparison, QuinStreet, Inc. (QNST) has a positive ROIC of 1.93% and a WACC of 7.03%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of 0.27, showing better capital efficiency.

comScore, Inc. (SCOR) also struggles with a negative ROIC of -22.54% against a WACC of 5.44%, leading to a ROIC to WACC ratio of -4.14. This is even more concerning than Marchex's performance. On the other hand, Macatawa Bank Corporation (MCBC) and Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) show more promising figures. MCBC has a ROIC of 2.94% and a WACC of 5.94%, resulting in a ratio of 0.50.

Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) stands out with a ROIC of 10.21% and a WACC of 9.30%, achieving the highest ROIC to WACC ratio of 1.10 among the peers. This indicates that Liquidity Services is effectively generating returns that exceed its cost of capital, making it the most efficient company in this analysis. Investors may find LQDT's performance appealing compared to Marchex's current financial challenges.