We Think That There Are Some Issues For Global Knafaim Leasing (TLV:GKL) Beyond Its Promising Earnings
Global Knafaim Leasing Ltd's (TLV:GKL) healthy profit numbers didn't contain any surprises for investors. We believe that shareholders have noticed some concerning factors beyond the statutory profit numbers.
A Closer Look At Global Knafaim Leasing'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. In plain english, this ratio subtracts FCF from net profit, and divides that number by the company's average operating assets over that 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. 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. Notably, there is some academic evidence that suggests that a high accrual ratio is a bad sign for near-term profits, generally speaking.
Over the twelve months to September 2025, Global Knafaim Leasing recorded an accrual ratio of -0.55. That indicates that its free cash flow quite significantly exceeded its statutory profit. To wit, it produced free cash flow of US$55m during the period, dwarfing its reported profit of US$4.41m. Global Knafaim Leasing's free cash flow improved over the last year, which is generally good to see. Having said that it seems that a recent tax benefit and some unusual items have impacted its profit (and this its accrual ratio).
Check out our latest analysis for Global Knafaim Leasing
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How Do Unusual Items Influence Profit?
While the accrual ratio might bode well, we also note that Global Knafaim Leasing's profit was boosted by unusual items worth US$6.1m 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. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. Which is hardly surprising, given the name. We can see that Global Knafaim Leasing's positive unusual items were quite significant relative to its profit in the year to September 2025. As a result, we can surmise that the unusual items are making its statutory profit significantly stronger than it would otherwise be.
An Unusual Tax Situation
In addition to the notable accrual ratio, we can see that Global Knafaim Leasing received a tax benefit of US$971k. This is meaningful because companies usually pay tax rather than receive tax benefits. Of course, prima facie it's great to receive a tax benefit. However, our data indicates that tax benefits can temporarily boost statutory profit in the year it is booked, but subsequently profit may fall back. Assuming the tax benefit is not repeated every year, we could see its profitability drop noticeably, all else being equal.
Our Take On Global Knafaim Leasing's Profit Performance
Summing up, Global Knafaim Leasing's accrual ratio suggests that its statutory earnings are well matched by free cash flow while its unusual items and tax benefit is boosted profit in a way that may not be sustained. After taking into account all the aforementioned observations we think that Global Knafaim Leasing's profits probably give a generous impression of its sustainable level of profitability. Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Global Knafaim Leasing.
Our examination of Global Knafaim Leasing has focussed on certain factors that can make its earnings look better than they are. And, on that basis, we are somewhat skeptical. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. 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 with significant insider holdings to be useful.
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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.