Is Sonic Healthcare (ASX:SHL) Using Too Much Debt?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. As with many other companies Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX:SHL) makes use of debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Sonic Healthcare

How Much Debt Does Sonic Healthcare Carry?

As you can see below, Sonic Healthcare had AU$1.82b of debt at June 2021, down from AU$3.24b a year prior. However, it does have AU$899.8m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about AU$923.0m.

How Strong Is Sonic Healthcare's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Sonic Healthcare had liabilities of AU$2.22b due within 12 months, and liabilities of AU$3.04b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had AU$899.8m in cash and AU$1.09b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by AU$3.27b.

Given Sonic Healthcare has a humongous market capitalization of AU$22.2b, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. Having said that, it's clear that we should continue to monitor its balance sheet, lest it change for the worse.

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). Thus we consider debt relative to earnings both with and without depreciation and amortization expenses.

Sonic Healthcare has a low net debt to EBITDA ratio of only 0.43. And its EBIT easily covers its interest expense, being 20.8 times the size. So we're pretty relaxed about its super-conservative use of debt. Better yet, Sonic Healthcare grew its EBIT by 137% last year, which is an impressive improvement. That boost will make it even easier to pay down debt going forward. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Sonic Healthcare can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. Over the last three years, Sonic Healthcare recorded free cash flow worth a fulsome 91% of its EBIT, which is stronger than we'd usually expect. That positions it well to pay down debt if desirable to do so.

Our View

Sonic Healthcare's interest cover suggests it can handle its debt as easily as Cristiano Ronaldo could score a goal against an under 14's goalkeeper. And the good news does not stop there, as its conversion of EBIT to free cash flow also supports that impression! We would also note that Healthcare industry companies like Sonic Healthcare commonly do use debt without problems. It looks Sonic Healthcare has no trouble standing on its own two feet, and it has no reason to fear its lenders. For investing nerds like us its balance sheet is almost charming. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. We've identified 1 warning sign with Sonic Healthcare , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

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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.