These 4 Measures Indicate That COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation (HKG:1138) Is Using Debt Extensively

David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital.' So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. Importantly, COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation Co., Ltd. (HKG:1138) does carry debt. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. In the worst case scenario, a company can go bankrupt if it cannot pay its creditors. However, a more usual (but still expensive) situation is where a company must dilute shareholders at a cheap share price simply to get debt under control. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first thing to do when considering how much debt a business uses is to look at its cash and debt together.

See our latest analysis for COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation

What Is COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation's Net Debt?

You can click the graphic below for the historical numbers, but it shows that as of June 2024 COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation had CN¥28.0b of debt, an increase on CN¥26.5b, over one year. On the flip side, it has CN¥4.31b in cash leading to net debt of about CN¥23.7b.

How Healthy Is COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation had liabilities of CN¥9.93b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN¥27.1b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had CN¥4.31b in cash and CN¥3.46b in receivables that were due within 12 months. So its liabilities outweigh the sum of its cash and (near-term) receivables by CN¥29.2b.

This deficit isn't so bad because COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation is worth CN¥55.0b, and thus could probably raise enough capital to shore up its balance sheet, if the need arose. However, it is still worthwhile taking a close look at its ability to pay off debt.

We measure a company's debt load relative to its earnings power by looking at its net debt divided by its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) and by calculating how easily its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) cover its interest expense (interest cover). The advantage of this approach is that we take into account both the absolute quantum of debt (with net debt to EBITDA) and the actual interest expenses associated with that debt (with its interest cover ratio).

COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation has a debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.9, which signals significant debt, but is still pretty reasonable for most types of business. But its EBIT was about 1k times its interest expense, implying the company isn't really paying a high cost to maintain that level of debt. Even were the low cost to prove unsustainable, that is a good sign. Unfortunately, COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation saw its EBIT slide 6.4% in the last twelve months. If earnings continue on that decline then managing that debt will be difficult like delivering hot soup on a unicycle. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting.

But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. So it's worth checking how much of that EBIT is backed by free cash flow. Looking at the most recent two years, COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation recorded free cash flow of 42% of its EBIT, which is weaker than we'd expect. That's not great, when it comes to paying down debt.

Our View

COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation's EBIT growth rate and net debt to EBITDA definitely weigh on it, in our esteem. But its interest cover tells a very different story, and suggests some resilience. We think that COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation's debt does make it a bit risky, after considering the aforementioned data points together. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since leverage can boost returns on equity, but it is something to be aware of. The balance sheet is clearly the area to focus on when you are analysing debt. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For example - COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation has 2 warning signs we think 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.