Here's Why We Think Qingling Motors's (HKG:1122) Statutory Earnings Might Be Conservative

Statistically speaking, it is less risky to invest in profitable companies than in unprofitable ones. That said, the current statutory profit is not always a good guide to a company's underlying profitability. In this article, we'll look at how useful this year's statutory profit is, when analysing Qingling Motors (HKG:1122).

We like the fact that Qingling Motors made a profit of CN¥227.3m on its revenue of CN¥4.56b, in the last year. In the last few years its profit has fallen, although its revenue was steady, as you can see in the chart below.

View our latest analysis for Qingling Motors

Not all profits are equal, and we can learn more about the nature of a company's past profitability by diving deeper into the financial statements. This article will discuss how unusual items have impacted Qingling Motors' most recent profit results. Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Qingling Motors.

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

For anyone who wants to understand Qingling Motors' profit beyond the statutory numbers, it's important to note that during the last twelve months statutory profit was reduced by CN¥58m due 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, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Qingling Motors took a rather significant hit from unusual items in the year to June 2020. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items made its statutory profit significantly weaker than it would otherwise be.

Our Take On Qingling Motors' Profit Performance

As we mentioned previously, the Qingling Motors' profit was hampered by unusual items in the last year. Based on this observation, we consider it possible that Qingling Motors' statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! 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. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Qingling Motors (including 1 which shouldn't be ignored).

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Qingling Motors' 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. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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