Does Alliance Aviation Services (ASX:AQZ) Have A Healthy Balance Sheet?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We note that Alliance Aviation Services Limited (ASX:AQZ) does have debt on its balance sheet. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. 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. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

View our latest analysis for Alliance Aviation Services

What Is Alliance Aviation Services's Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that Alliance Aviation Services had AU$52.0m of debt in December 2020, down from AU$76.0m, one year before. However, it does have AU$45.1m in cash offsetting this, leading to net debt of about AU$6.89m.

How Healthy Is Alliance Aviation Services' Balance Sheet?

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Alliance Aviation Services had liabilities of AU$58.4m falling due within a year, and liabilities of AU$102.9m due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of AU$45.1m and AU$40.5m worth of receivables due within a year. So it has liabilities totalling AU$75.7m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

Of course, Alliance Aviation Services has a market capitalization of AU$685.2m, so these liabilities are probably manageable. However, we do think it is worth keeping an eye on its balance sheet strength, as it may change over time. But either way, Alliance Aviation Services has virtually no net debt, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

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). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

With debt at a measly 0.07 times EBITDA and EBIT covering interest a whopping 28.6 times, it's clear that Alliance Aviation Services is not a desperate borrower. Indeed relative to its earnings its debt load seems light as a feather. On top of that, Alliance Aviation Services grew its EBIT by 72% over the last twelve months, and that growth will make it easier to handle its debt. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Alliance Aviation Services's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So the logical step is to look at the proportion of that EBIT that is matched by actual free cash flow. Considering the last three years, Alliance Aviation Services actually recorded a cash outflow, overall. Debt is far more risky for companies with unreliable free cash flow, so shareholders should be hoping that the past expenditure will produce free cash flow in the future.

Our View

Alliance Aviation Services's interest cover suggests it can handle its debt as easily as Cristiano Ronaldo could score a goal against an under 14's goalkeeper. But the stark truth is that we are concerned by its conversion of EBIT to free cash flow. Taking all this data into account, it seems to us that Alliance Aviation Services takes a pretty sensible approach to debt. That means they are taking on a bit more risk, in the hope of boosting shareholder returns. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Alliance Aviation Services (1 is concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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