These 4 Measures Indicate That Vertoz Advertising (NSE:VERTOZ) Is Using Debt Reasonably Well

Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' When we think about how risky a company is, we always like to look at its use of debt, since debt overload can lead to ruin. We can see that Vertoz Advertising Limited (NSE:VERTOZ) does use debt in its business. But is this debt a concern to shareholders?

What Risk Does Debt Bring?

Debt assists a business until the business has trouble paying it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more common (but still painful) scenario is that it has to raise new equity capital at a low price, thus permanently diluting shareholders. Having said that, the most common situation is where a company manages its debt reasonably well - and to its own advantage. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

See our latest analysis for Vertoz Advertising

How Much Debt Does Vertoz Advertising Carry?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that at September 2021 Vertoz Advertising had debt of ₹123.1m, up from ₹116.1m in one year. However, because it has a cash reserve of ₹31.5m, its net debt is less, at about ₹91.5m.

How Healthy Is Vertoz Advertising's Balance Sheet?

According to the last reported balance sheet, Vertoz Advertising had liabilities of ₹232.9m due within 12 months, and liabilities of ₹28.0m due beyond 12 months. Offsetting this, it had ₹31.5m in cash and ₹279.5m in receivables that were due within 12 months. So it actually has ₹50.1m more liquid assets than total liabilities.

This surplus suggests that Vertoz Advertising has a conservative balance sheet, and could probably eliminate its debt without much difficulty.

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).

Vertoz Advertising has net debt of just 0.84 times EBITDA, indicating that it is certainly not a reckless borrower. And this view is supported by the solid interest coverage, with EBIT coming in at 8.5 times the interest expense over the last year. Even more impressive was the fact that Vertoz Advertising grew its EBIT by 1,270% over twelve months. That boost will make it even easier to pay down debt going forward. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is Vertoz Advertising's earnings that will influence how the balance sheet holds up in the future. So when considering debt, it's definitely worth looking at the earnings trend. Click here for an interactive snapshot.

Finally, a company can only pay off debt with cold hard cash, not accounting profits. So the logical step is to look at the proportion of that EBIT that is matched by actual free cash flow. During the last three years, Vertoz Advertising burned a lot of cash. While that may be a result of expenditure for growth, it does make the debt far more risky.

Our View

The good news is that Vertoz Advertising's demonstrated ability to grow its EBIT delights us like a fluffy puppy does a toddler. But we must concede we find its conversion of EBIT to free cash flow has the opposite effect. Looking at all the aforementioned factors together, it strikes us that Vertoz Advertising can handle its debt fairly comfortably. Of course, while this leverage can enhance returns on equity, it does bring more risk, so it's worth keeping an eye on this one. 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 example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Vertoz Advertising that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.