Impressive Earnings May Not Tell The Whole Story For Shanghai International Airport (SHSE:600009)

Despite posting some strong earnings, the market for Shanghai International Airport Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:600009) stock hasn't moved much. Our analysis suggests that this might be because shareholders have noticed some concerning underlying factors.

Check out our latest analysis for Shanghai International Airport

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

For anyone who wants to understand Shanghai International Airport's profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit gained from CN¥159m worth of unusual items. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. 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. If Shanghai International Airport doesn't see that contribution repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to drop over the current 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 Shanghai International Airport's Profit Performance

Arguably, Shanghai International Airport's statutory earnings have been distorted by unusual items boosting profit. Because of this, we think that it may be that Shanghai International Airport's statutory profits are better than its underlying earnings power. On the bright side, the company showed enough improvement to book a profit this year, after losing money last year. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. Obviously, we love to consider the historical data to inform our opinion of a company. But it can be really valuable to consider what other analysts are forecasting. Luckily, you can check out what analysts are forecasting by clicking here.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Shanghai International Airport's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful.

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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.