Hunting (LON:HTG) Has Debt But No Earnings; Should You Worry?

Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously said that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We can see that Hunting PLC (LON:HTG) does use debt in its business. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. 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. By replacing dilution, though, debt can be an extremely good tool for businesses that need capital to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we examine debt levels, we first consider both cash and debt levels, together.

See our latest analysis for Hunting

What Is Hunting's Net Debt?

The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Hunting had US$4.90m in debt in December 2021; about the same as the year before. But it also has US$115.2m in cash to offset that, meaning it has US$110.3m net cash.

How Healthy Is Hunting's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Hunting had liabilities of US$99.0m due within 12 months, and liabilities of US$41.3m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$115.2m as well as receivables valued at US$140.4m due within 12 months. So it actually has US$115.3m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus suggests that Hunting is using debt in a way that is appears to be both safe and conservative. Due to its strong net asset position, it is not likely to face issues with its lenders. Simply put, the fact that Hunting has more cash than debt is arguably a good indication that it can manage its debt safely. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Hunting can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Over 12 months, Hunting made a loss at the EBIT level, and saw its revenue drop to US$522m, which is a fall of 17%. We would much prefer see growth.

So How Risky Is Hunting?

While Hunting lost money on an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) level, it actually generated positive free cash flow US$20m. So although it is loss-making, it doesn't seem to have too much near-term balance sheet risk, keeping in mind the net cash. With mediocre revenue growth in the last year, we're don't find the investment opportunity particularly compelling. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Hunting you should be aware of.

If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay.

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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.