CIG ShangHai's (SHSE:603083) Sluggish Earnings Might Be Just The Beginning Of Its Problems

Last week's earnings announcement from CIG ShangHai Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603083) was disappointing to investors, with a sluggish profit figure. We did some analysis, and found that there are some reasons to be cautious about the headline numbers.

See our latest analysis for CIG ShangHai

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand CIG ShangHai's profit results, we need to consider the CN¥9.3m gain attributed to unusual items. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. Which is hardly surprising, given the name. Assuming those unusual items don't show up again in the current year, we'd thus expect profit to be weaker next year (in the absence of business growth, that is).

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of CIG ShangHai.

Our Take On CIG ShangHai's Profit Performance

Arguably, CIG ShangHai's statutory earnings have been distorted by unusual items boosting profit. Therefore, it seems possible to us that CIG ShangHai's true underlying earnings power is actually less than its statutory profit. Sadly, its EPS was down over the last twelve months. 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. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for CIG ShangHai you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of CIG ShangHai's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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 that insiders are buying.

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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.