Does DMG MORI (ETR:GIL) Have A Healthy Balance Sheet?

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' 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 DMG MORI AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (ETR:GIL) does use debt in its business. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. 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. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

See our latest analysis for DMG MORI

How Much Debt Does DMG MORI Carry?

As you can see below, DMG MORI had €50.3m of debt at December 2021, down from €60.5m a year prior. But it also has €244.9m in cash to offset that, meaning it has €194.6m net cash.

A Look At DMG MORI's Liabilities

Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that DMG MORI had liabilities of €1.03b due within 12 months and liabilities of €125.7m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of €244.9m as well as receivables valued at €673.8m due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by €235.5m.

Of course, DMG MORI has a market capitalization of €3.18b, so these liabilities are probably manageable. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, DMG MORI boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Even more impressive was the fact that DMG MORI grew its EBIT by 193% over twelve months. If maintained that growth will make the debt even more manageable in the years ahead. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is DMG MORI's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. While DMG MORI has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. Over the last three years, DMG MORI recorded free cash flow worth a fulsome 85% of its EBIT, which is stronger than we'd usually expect. That positions it well to pay down debt if desirable to do so.

Summing up

While it is always sensible to look at a company's total liabilities, it is very reassuring that DMG MORI has €194.6m in net cash. And it impressed us with free cash flow of €179m, being 85% of its EBIT. So we don't think DMG MORI's use of debt is risky. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for DMG MORI you should be aware of.

If you're interested in investing in businesses that can grow profits without the burden of debt, then check out this free list of growing businesses that have net cash on the balance sheet.

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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.