IMI (LON:IMI) Is Posting Promising Earnings But The Good News Doesn’t Stop There

IMI plc's (LON:IMI) solid earnings announcement recently didn't do much to the stock price. Our analysis suggests that shareholders might be missing some positive underlying factors in the earnings report.

View our latest analysis for IMI

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

To properly understand IMI's profit results, we need to consider the UK£39m expense attributed to unusual items. 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 that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. Assuming those unusual expenses don't come up again, we'd therefore expect IMI to produce a higher profit next year, all else being equal.

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 IMI's Profit Performance

Because unusual items detracted from IMI's earnings over the last year, you could argue that we can expect an improved result in the current quarter. Because of this, we think IMI's earnings potential is at least as good as it seems, and maybe even better! And on top of that, its earnings per share have grown at 46% per year over the last three years. 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. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. While conducting our analysis, we found that IMI has 1 warning sign and it would be unwise to ignore this.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of IMI's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com