These 4 Measures Indicate That New Gold (TSE:NGD) Is Using Debt Reasonably Well

Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' 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 can see that New Gold Inc. (TSE:NGD) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

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. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

Check out our latest analysis for New Gold

How Much Debt Does New Gold Carry?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that New Gold had US$491.0m in debt in December 2021; about the same as the year before. However, it does have US$541.0m in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of US$50.0m.

A Look At New Gold's Liabilities

The latest balance sheet data shows that New Gold had liabilities of US$172.9m due within a year, and liabilities of US$1.35b falling due after that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$541.0m as well as receivables valued at US$30.1m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total US$949.8m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

This is a mountain of leverage relative to its market capitalization of US$1.11b. This suggests shareholders would be heavily diluted if the company needed to shore up its balance sheet in a hurry. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, New Gold boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Pleasingly, New Gold is growing its EBIT faster than former Australian PM Bob Hawke downs a yard glass, boasting a 106% gain in the last twelve months. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine New Gold'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.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. New Gold may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. Looking at the most recent three years, New Gold recorded free cash flow of 47% of its EBIT, which is weaker than we'd expect. That's not great, when it comes to paying down debt.

Summing up

While New Gold does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of US$50.0m. And we liked the look of last year's 106% year-on-year EBIT growth. So we are not troubled with New Gold's debt use. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for New Gold you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit unpleasant.

If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.