Is There More To The Story Than CGN Mining's (HKG:1164) Earnings Growth?

Statistically speaking, it is less risky to invest in profitable companies than in unprofitable ones. However, sometimes companies receive a one-off boost (or reduction) to their profit, and it's not always clear whether statutory profits are a good guide, going forward. Today we'll focus on whether this year's statutory profits are a good guide to understanding CGN Mining (HKG:1164).

It's good to see that over the last twelve months CGN Mining made a profit of HK$194.7m on revenue of HK$2.05b. One positive is that it has grown both its profit and its revenue, over the last few years.

See our latest analysis for CGN Mining

Of course, it is only sensible to look beyond the statutory profits and question how well those numbers represent the sustainable earnings power of the business. So today we'll look at what CGN Mining's cashflow tells us about the quality of its earnings. Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of CGN Mining.

A Closer Look At CGN Mining's Earnings

As finance nerds would already know, the accrual ratio from cashflow is a key measure for assessing how well a company's free cash flow (FCF) matches its profit. 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'.

Therefore, it's actually considered a good thing when a company has a negative accrual ratio, but a bad thing if its accrual ratio is positive. While it's not a problem to have a positive accrual ratio, indicating a certain level of non-cash profits, a high accrual ratio is arguably a bad thing, because it indicates paper profits are not matched by cash flow. That's because some academic studies have suggested that high accruals ratios tend to lead to lower profit or less profit growth.

For the year to June 2020, CGN Mining had an accrual ratio of 0.71. As a general rule, that bodes poorly for future profitability. To wit, the company did not generate one whit of free cashflow in that time. In the last twelve months it actually had negative free cash flow, with an outflow of HK$1.5b despite its profit of HK$194.7m, mentioned above. It's worth noting that CGN Mining generated positive FCF of HK$123m a year ago, so at least they've done it in the past.

Our Take On CGN Mining's Profit Performance

As we discussed above, we think CGN Mining's earnings were not supported by free cash flow, which might concern some investors. As a result, we think it may well be the case that CGN Mining's underlying earnings power is lower than its statutory profit. Nonetheless, it's still worth noting that its earnings per share have grown at 52% over the last three years. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For example, CGN Mining has 5 warning signs (and 3 which are significant) we think you should know about.

Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of CGN Mining's 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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