Is AuSom Enterprise (NSE:AUSOMENT) Using Too Much Debt?

Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of permanent loss is the risk I worry about... and every practical investor I know worries about.' 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. As with many other companies AuSom Enterprise Limited (NSE:AUSOMENT) makes use of debt. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

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. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. 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 step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

See our latest analysis for AuSom Enterprise

How Much Debt Does AuSom Enterprise Carry?

As you can see below, at the end of September 2023, AuSom Enterprise had ₹249.5m of debt, up from ₹178.0m a year ago. Click the image for more detail. On the flip side, it has ₹29.7m in cash leading to net debt of about ₹219.8m.

How Strong Is AuSom Enterprise's Balance Sheet?

The latest balance sheet data shows that AuSom Enterprise had liabilities of ₹268.5m due within a year, and liabilities of ₹387.0k falling due after that. Offsetting this, it had ₹29.7m in cash and ₹248.0m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it can boast ₹8.79m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

Having regard to AuSom Enterprise's size, it seems that its liquid assets are well balanced with its total liabilities. So while it's hard to imagine that the ₹1.15b company is struggling for cash, we still think it's worth monitoring its balance sheet.

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.

AuSom Enterprise's debt is 3.5 times its EBITDA, and its EBIT cover its interest expense 3.3 times over. This suggests that while the debt levels are significant, we'd stop short of calling them problematic. On a slightly more positive note, AuSom Enterprise grew its EBIT at 12% over the last year, further increasing its ability to manage 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 AuSom Enterprise will need earnings to service that debt. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

Finally, a business needs free cash flow to pay off debt; accounting profits just don't cut it. So we clearly need to look at whether that EBIT is leading to corresponding free cash flow. Over the last three years, AuSom Enterprise actually produced more free cash flow than EBIT. That sort of strong cash conversion gets us as excited as the crowd when the beat drops at a Daft Punk concert.

Our View

The good news is that AuSom Enterprise's demonstrated ability to convert EBIT to free cash flow delights us like a fluffy puppy does a toddler. But, on a more sombre note, we are a little concerned by its interest cover. When we consider the range of factors above, it looks like AuSom Enterprise is pretty sensible with its use of debt. That means they are taking on a bit more risk, in the hope of boosting shareholder returns. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. For instance, we've identified 5 warning signs for AuSom Enterprise (1 shouldn't be ignored) you should be aware of.

At the end of the day, it's often better to focus on companies that are free from net debt. You can access our special list of such companies (all with a track record of profit growth). It's free.

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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.