These 4 Measures Indicate That Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments (TLV:ALHE) Is Using Debt In A Risky Way

The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' So it might be obvious that you need to consider debt, when you think about how risky any given stock is, because too much debt can sink a company. We can see that Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments Ltd (TLV:ALHE) does use debt in its business. But the more important question is: how much risk is that debt creating?

When Is Debt Dangerous?

Debt is a tool to help businesses grow, but if a business is incapable of paying off its lenders, then it exists at their mercy. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. 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 Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments

How Much Debt Does Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments Carry?

As you can see below, Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments had ₪14.0b of debt at March 2021, down from ₪14.5b a year prior. However, it also had ₪1.66b in cash, and so its net debt is ₪12.3b.

How Healthy Is Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments' Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments had liabilities of ₪2.04b due within 12 months, and liabilities of ₪15.0b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of ₪1.66b as well as receivables valued at ₪322.6m due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling ₪15.1b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined.

The deficiency here weighs heavily on the ₪7.43b company itself, as if a child were struggling under the weight of an enormous back-pack full of books, his sports gear, and a trumpet. So we definitely think shareholders need to watch this one closely. At the end of the day, Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments would probably need a major re-capitalization if its creditors were to demand repayment.

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). This way, we consider both the absolute quantum of the debt, as well as the interest rates paid on it.

Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments has a rather high debt to EBITDA ratio of 11.0 which suggests a meaningful debt load. However, its interest coverage of 3.6 is reasonably strong, which is a good sign. Even worse, Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments saw its EBIT tank 28% over the last 12 months. If earnings keep going like that over the long term, it has a snowball's chance in hell of paying off that debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But you can't view debt in total isolation; since Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments will need earnings to service that debt. So if you're keen to discover more about its earnings, it might be worth checking out this graph of its long term earnings trend.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. So it's worth checking how much of that EBIT is backed by free cash flow. Over the last three years, Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments saw substantial negative free cash flow, in total. While investors are no doubt expecting a reversal of that situation in due course, it clearly does mean its use of debt is more risky.

Our View

On the face of it, Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments's EBIT growth rate left us tentative about the stock, and its level of total liabilities was no more enticing than the one empty restaurant on the busiest night of the year. And even its net debt to EBITDA fails to inspire much confidence. Considering everything we've mentioned above, it's fair to say that Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments is carrying heavy debt load. If you harvest honey without a bee suit, you risk getting stung, so we'd probably stay away from this particular stock. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Alony-Hetz Properties & Investments (1 can't be ignored) you should be aware of.

Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today.

If you’re looking to trade a wide range of investments, open an account with the lowest-cost* platform trusted by professionals, Interactive Brokers. Their clients from over 200 countries and territories trade stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account. Promoted

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.
^*Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.