There May Be Some Bright Spots In 1&1's (ETR:1U1) Earnings

The most recent earnings report from 1&1 AG (ETR:1U1) was disappointing for shareholders. While the headline numbers were soft, we believe that investors might be missing some encouraging factors.

Check out our latest analysis for 1&1

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

Importantly, our data indicates that 1&1's profit was reduced by €284m, due to unusual items, over the last year. It's never great to see unusual items costing the company profits, but on the upside, things might improve sooner rather than later. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. In the twelve months to September 2024, 1&1 had a big unusual items expense. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items made its statutory profit significantly weaker than it would otherwise be.

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 1&1's Profit Performance

As we mentioned previously, the 1&1's profit was hampered by unusual items in the last year. Because of this, we think 1&1's underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! Unfortunately, though, its earnings per share actually fell back over the 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. If you'd like to know more about 1&1 as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for 1&1 and you'll want to know about it.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of 1&1'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. 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.