Investors Shouldn't Be Too Comfortable With Osmozis' (EPA:ALOSM) Robust Earnings

Last week's profit announcement from Osmozis SA (EPA:ALOSM) was underwhelming for investors, despite headline numbers being robust. We did some digging and found some worrying underlying problems.

Check out our latest analysis for Osmozis

Zooming In On Osmozis' Earnings

One key financial ratio used to measure how well a company converts its profit to free cash flow (FCF) is the accrual ratio. To get the accrual ratio we first subtract FCF from profit for a period, and then divide that number by the average operating assets for the period. This ratio tells us how much of a company's profit is not backed by free cashflow.

Therefore, it's actually considered a good thing when a company has a negative accrual ratio, but a bad thing if its accrual ratio is positive. That is not intended to imply we should worry about a positive accrual ratio, but it's worth noting where the accrual ratio is rather high. To quote a 2014 paper by Lewellen and Resutek, "firms with higher accruals tend to be less profitable in the future".

For the year to August 2021, Osmozis had an accrual ratio of 0.25. Therefore, we know that it's free cashflow was significantly lower than its statutory profit, which is hardly a good thing. Over the last year it actually had negative free cash flow of €2.9m, in contrast to the aforementioned profit of €990.4k. Coming off the back of negative free cash flow last year, we imagine some shareholders might wonder if its cash burn of €2.9m, this year, indicates high risk. Having said that it seems that a recent tax benefit and some unusual items have impacted its profit (and this its accrual ratio). The good news for shareholders is that Osmozis' accrual ratio was much better last year, so this year's poor reading might simply be a case of a short term mismatch between profit and FCF. As a result, some shareholders may be looking for stronger cash conversion in 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.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Osmozis' profit suffered from unusual items, which reduced profit by €125k in the last twelve months. In the case where this was a non-cash charge it would have made it easier to have high cash conversion, so it's surprising that the accrual ratio tells a different story. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. When we analysed the vast majority of listed companies worldwide, we found that significant unusual items are often not repeated. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect Osmozis to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

An Unusual Tax Situation

Moving on from the accrual ratio, we note that Osmozis profited from a tax benefit which contributed €236k to profit. This is meaningful because companies usually pay tax rather than receive tax benefits. Of course, prima facie it's great to receive a tax benefit. And given that it lost money last year, it seems possible that the benefit is evidence that it now expects to find value in its past tax losses. However, our data indicates that tax benefits can temporarily boost statutory profit in the year it is booked, but subsequently profit may fall back. Assuming the tax benefit is not repeated every year, we could see its profitability drop noticeably, all else being equal. While we think it's good that the company has booked a tax benefit, it does mean that there's every chance the statutory profit will come in a lot higher than it would be if the income was adjusted for one-off factors.

Our Take On Osmozis' Profit Performance

In conclusion, Osmozis' accrual ratio suggests that its statutory earnings are not backed by cash flow, in part due to the tax benefit it received; but the fact unusual items actually weighed on profit may create upside if those unusual items do not recur. After taking into account all the aforementioned observations we think that Osmozis' profits probably give a generous impression of its sustainable level of profitability. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. When we did our research, we found 4 warning signs for Osmozis (2 don't sit too well with us!) that we believe deserve your full attention.

Our examination of Osmozis has focussed on certain factors that can make its earnings look better than they are. And, on that basis, we are somewhat skeptical. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. 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 that insiders are buying 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.