The Strong Earnings Posted By Rumo (BVMF:RAIL3) Are A Good Indication Of The Strength Of The Business

Rumo S.A.'s (BVMF:RAIL3) earnings announcement last week was disappointing for investors, despite the decent profit numbers. We did some digging and actually think they are being unnecessarily pessimistic.

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The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

To properly understand Rumo's profit results, we need to consider the R$2.1b expense attributed to unusual items. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. If Rumo doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year.

That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates.

Our Take On Rumo's Profit Performance

Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Rumo's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Because of this, we think Rumo's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And one can definitely find a positive in the fact that it made a profit this year, despite losing money last year. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. If you want to do dive deeper into Rumo, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Rumo (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Rumo's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership.

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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.