We Think Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s (HKG:483) Solid Earnings Are Understated

The market shrugged off Bauhaus International (Holdings) Limited's (HKG:483) solid earnings report. We think that investors might be worried about some concerning underlying factors.

See our latest analysis for Bauhaus International (Holdings)

A Closer Look At Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s 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. You could think of the accrual ratio from cashflow as the 'non-FCF profit ratio'.

That means a negative accrual ratio is a good thing, because it shows that the company is bringing in more free cash flow than its profit would suggest. 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. That's because some academic studies have suggested that high accruals ratios tend to lead to lower profit or less profit growth.

Bauhaus International (Holdings) has an accrual ratio of -0.29 for the year to March 2021. That indicates that its free cash flow quite significantly exceeded its statutory profit. Indeed, in the last twelve months it reported free cash flow of HK$155m, well over the HK$99.7m it reported in profit. Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s free cash flow actually declined over the last year, which is disappointing, like non-biodegradable balloons. However, that's not all there is to consider. We can see that unusual items have impacted its statutory profit, and therefore the accrual ratio.

Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Bauhaus International (Holdings).

How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?

While the accrual ratio might bode well, we also note that Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s profit was boosted by unusual items worth HK$173m in the last twelve months. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. When we crunched the numbers on thousands of publicly listed companies, we found that a boost from unusual items in a given year is often not repeated the next year. And, after all, that's exactly what the accounting terminology implies. Bauhaus International (Holdings) had a rather significant contribution from unusual items relative to its profit to March 2021. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items are making its statutory profit significantly stronger than it would otherwise be.

Our Take On Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s Profit Performance

In conclusion, Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s accrual ratio suggests its statutory earnings are of good quality, but on the other hand the profits were boosted by unusual items. Based on these factors, it's hard to tell if Bauhaus International (Holdings)'s profits are a reasonable reflection of its underlying profitability. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. For example, Bauhaus International (Holdings) has 5 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

Our examination of Bauhaus International (Holdings) has focussed on certain factors that can make its earnings look better than they are. 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 that insiders are buying to be useful.

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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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