Is Enjoy (SNSE:ENJOY) Using Debt In A Risky Way?

Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that '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 Enjoy S.A. (SNSE:ENJOY) makes use of debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

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 Enjoy

What Is Enjoy's Net Debt?

As you can see below, Enjoy had CL$186.2b of debt at June 2021, down from CL$360.0b a year prior. On the flip side, it has CL$59.5b in cash leading to net debt of about CL$126.7b.

How Strong Is Enjoy's Balance Sheet?

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Enjoy had liabilities of CL$78.2b due within 12 months and liabilities of CL$251.8b due beyond that. On the other hand, it had cash of CL$59.5b and CL$24.2b worth of receivables due within a year. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by CL$246.2b.

This deficit casts a shadow over the CL$114.4b company, like a colossus towering over mere mortals. So we definitely think shareholders need to watch this one closely. At the end of the day, Enjoy would probably need a major re-capitalization if its creditors were to demand repayment. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is Enjoy's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.

In the last year Enjoy had a loss before interest and tax, and actually shrunk its revenue by 85%, to CL$32b. That makes us nervous, to say the least.

Caveat Emptor

Not only did Enjoy's revenue slip over the last twelve months, but it also produced negative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). Its EBIT loss was a whopping CL$64b. Considering that alongside the liabilities mentioned above make us nervous about the company. We'd want to see some strong near-term improvements before getting too interested in the stock. Not least because it burned through CL$56b in negative free cash flow over the last year. That means it's on the risky side of things. 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. Be aware that Enjoy is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those are a bit unpleasant...

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.

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.

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