We Think Elevation Gold Mining (CVE:ELVT) Is Taking Some Risk With Its Debt

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.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We note that Elevation Gold Mining Corporation (CVE:ELVT) does have debt on its balance sheet. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

Why Does Debt Bring Risk?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. 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, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

See our latest analysis for Elevation Gold Mining

How Much Debt Does Elevation Gold Mining Carry?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Elevation Gold Mining had debt of US$6.00m at the end of September 2021, a reduction from US$14.1m over a year. On the flip side, it has US$1.42m in cash leading to net debt of about US$4.58m.

A Look At Elevation Gold Mining's Liabilities

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Elevation Gold Mining had liabilities of US$19.3m falling due within a year, and liabilities of US$35.3m due beyond that. Offsetting this, it had US$1.42m in cash and US$355.0k in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by US$52.8m.

The deficiency here weighs heavily on the US$34.0m company itself, as if a child were struggling under the weight of an enormous back-pack full of books, his sports gear, and a trumpet. So we definitely think shareholders need to watch this one closely. After all, Elevation Gold Mining would likely require a major re-capitalisation if it had to pay its creditors today.

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). The advantage of this approach is that we take into account both the absolute quantum of debt (with net debt to EBITDA) and the actual interest expenses associated with that debt (with its interest cover ratio).

Elevation Gold Mining has a low net debt to EBITDA ratio of only 0.15. And its EBIT easily covers its interest expense, being 16.4 times the size. So you could argue it is no more threatened by its debt than an elephant is by a mouse. On top of that, Elevation Gold Mining grew its EBIT by 45% 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 ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Elevation Gold Mining 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.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. So we always check how much of that EBIT is translated into free cash flow. Over the last two years, Elevation Gold Mining saw substantial negative free cash flow, in total. While that may be a result of expenditure for growth, it does make the debt far more risky.

Our View

While Elevation Gold Mining's conversion of EBIT to free cash flow has us nervous. For example, its interest cover and EBIT growth rate give us some confidence in its ability to manage its debt. When we consider all the factors discussed, it seems to us that Elevation Gold Mining is taking some risks with its use of debt. While that debt can boost returns, we think the company has enough leverage now. 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. Be aware that Elevation Gold Mining is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is potentially serious...

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.