pre_text: Return on invested capital Return on invested capital (ROIC) is a measure of the return generated on capital invested by the Group. The measure provides a guide rail for longterm value creation and encourages compounding reinvestment within the business and discipline around acquisitions with low returns and long payback. ROIC is calculated as underlying operating profit after tax divided by the annual average of: goodwill, intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, net assets held for sale, inventories, trade and other current receivables, and trade payables and other current liabilities. (a) Restated following adoption of IFRS 16. See note 1 and note 24 for further details. (b) See reconciliation of operating profit to underlying operating profit on page 30. (c) Tax on underlying operating profit is calculated as underlying operating profit before tax multiplied by underlying effective tax rate of 25.5% (2018: 25.7%) which is shown on page 30.
table: € million 2019 € million 2018
table: (Restated)(a)
table: Underlying operating profit before tax(b) 9,947 9,463
table: Tax on underlying operating profit(c) (2,536) (2,432)
table: Operating profit after tax 7,411 7,031
table: Goodwill 18,067 17,341
table: Intangible assets 12,962 12,152
table: Property, plant and equipment 12,062 12,088
table: Net assets held for sale 81 108
table: Inventories 4,164 4,301
table: Trade and other current receivables 6,695 6,482
table: Trade payables and other current liabilities (14,768) (14,457)
table: Period-end invested capital 39,263 38,015
table: Average invested capital for the period 38,639 38,749
table: Return on average invested capital 19.2% 18.1%
question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. What is the increase / (decrease) in inventories?