Geely Automobile Holdings (HKG:175) Posted Healthy Earnings But There Are Some Other Factors To Be Aware Of

Despite posting some strong earnings, the market for Geely Automobile Holdings Limited's (HKG:175) stock hasn't moved much. Our analysis suggests that shareholders have noticed something concerning in the numbers.

See our latest analysis for Geely Automobile Holdings

The Impact Of Unusual Items On Profit

Importantly, our data indicates that Geely Automobile Holdings' profit received a boost of CN¥7.4b in unusual items, over the last year. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. 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. Geely Automobile Holdings had a rather significant contribution from unusual items relative to its profit to June 2024. All else being equal, this would likely have the effect of making the statutory profit a poor guide to underlying earnings power.

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 Geely Automobile Holdings' Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think the significant positive unusual item makes Geely Automobile Holdings' earnings a poor guide to its underlying profitability. For this reason, we think that Geely Automobile Holdings' statutory profits may be a bad guide to its underlying earnings power, and might give investors an overly positive impression of the company. But on the bright side, its earnings per share have grown at an extremely impressive rate 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. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs (1 is concerning!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Geely Automobile Holdings.

This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Geely Automobile Holdings' 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 with high insider ownership.

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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.